Belgian aviation executive Dieter Vranckx has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), further strengthening his influence within the Lufthansa Group. The appointment follows the departure of outgoing chairman Reto Francioni, who chose not to seek re-election.
Vranckx, currently Chief Commercial Officer of Lufthansa Group and a member of the Group Executive Board, previously served as CEO of SWISS from 2021 to 2024 and has been a member of the airline’s board since last year. A former CEO of Brussels Airlines, he has chaired Brussels Airlines’ Board of Directors since mid-2024 and was recently named Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Austrian Airlines. As a result, Vranckx now chairs the governing bodies of three Lufthansa Group airlines: Brussels Airlines, SWISS and Austrian Airlines.
SWISS has also welcomed Ashwin Bhat back to its Board of Directors. Bhat, who currently serves as CEO of Lufthansa Cargo, previously led SWISS WorldCargo and had already served on the SWISS board between 2023 and 2024.
The appointments bring extensive international aviation expertise to the SWISS board while reinforcing close ties between the airline and the wider Lufthansa Group leadership.