APPOINTMENT

KLM Nominates Mathieu Essenberg as Chief Operating Officer

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has nominated Mathieu Essenberg as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and member of its statutory Managing Board.

Essenberg, who is currently serving as interim COO and also heads Engineering & Maintenance, will have his nomination submitted to shareholders at an upcoming Extraordinary General Meeting. The airline’s Works Council will also be consulted as part of the process.

Essenberg has been with KLM since 2002 and brings extensive operational and leadership experience across multiple divisions. Over the years, he has held key management roles at KLM Cityhopper and Flight Operations. In 2018, he became SVP Airframe/Operations within Engineering & Maintenance, overseeing aircraft maintenance for KLM’s fleet and global clients.

He later served as EVP Hub Operations in 2022, where he led the Ground Services division, before returning to Engineering & Maintenance in 2025 as Executive Vice President. In addition to his leadership roles, Essenberg is an active pilot and has been a captain on the Boeing 737 since 2017.

Marjan Rintel, President & CEO, said, “With Mathieu, we have found an excellent candidate within our own organization for the position of COO. He knows our organization inside out and has proven to be a driven and inspiring leader in various divisions and roles within KLM. In addition, Mathieu knows the operation from the inside out as a captain on the B-737. We have already worked together intensively in this configuration over the past two months, and I have every confidence that, with Mathieu in the COO role, we as the Executive Board will be successful in further strengthening our operations.”

Wiebe Draijer, Chairman of the KLM Supervisory Board, said, “Throughout his career at KLM, Mathieu has demonstrated that he possesses the leadership, expertise, and connecting qualities required for this important role. The Supervisory Board has every confidence that, together with the Executive Board and all colleagues, he will make a valuable contribution to further strengthening KLM’s operational performance and future-proofing.”

Commenting on his nomination, Essenberg said,  “I am deeply honored by this appointment. Together with all our colleagues, I want to work on the challenges we face. Safety, operational reliability, and an excellent experience for our passengers will always be central to this. I am convinced that we can be successful in this and, in doing so, contribute to the success of the company.”

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