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Otto Ambagtsheer: New business challenge after 19 years at Schiphol |
NETHERLANDS. Schiphol Group Managing Director Business Area Consumers Otto Ambagtsheer is to leave the company after 19 years. From 1 May he joins leading commercial property company Unibail-Rodamco as Regional Managing Director for the Benelux area.
Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer In April Maarten de Groof will take over temporarily from April, until a successor for Ambagtsheer is found.
The move comes amid a number of personnel changes within the Consumers division. Director of Commercial Services & Media Jacques Hoendervangers is also leaving Schiphol Group for a new role.
With effect from 15 May, Anne-Marie Zuidweg, who headed Schiphol Parking & Mobility Services (and formerly ran Schiphol’s commercial joint venture in Sweden), will take responsibility for Commercial Services & Media. Manager Retail Dieme Ketel will succeed Zuidweg.
Otto Ambagtsheer has overseen many of the key commercial advances made at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in recent years, including the renovation and upgrade of Lounge 3, completed in 2011, and the transformation of Lounge 1, completed in 2014.
He held a number of senior positions with Schiphol Group over the past 19 years, including Commercial Director of Brisbane Airport Corporation in Australia, Director of Real Estate Development at Schiphol, and most recently his current role heading the Consumers division.
In the latter role, Ambagtsheer was responsible for all consumer-led commercial products and services such as retail, food & beverage, parking and E-business.
Ambagtsheer graduated with a Law Degree from Radboud University of Nijmegen in 1994 and is a graduate of the London Business School.
In his new role, he is tasked with leading Unibail-Rodamco’s Benelux team and managing a new pipeline of projects. Chief among these are The Spring, in Leidschendam-Voorburg and Mall of Europe in Brussels.
Ambagtsheer told The Moodie Report: “After more than 19 years at Schiphol Group it was time to move on to a new challenge in a new dynamic environment. It has been a great time with many highlights, and I will certainly miss the travel retail and airport business.”
Unibail-Rodamco Chief Operating Officer, Member of the Management Board, Jean-Marie Tritant said: “I wish Otto a warm welcome at Unibail-Rodamco and the best success in his new functions. I am convinced that his consumer-oriented professional background will greatly contribute to the quality of the group’s assets in Benelux by continuously reinventing the customer experience.”
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Ambagtsheer (pictured here and above at the 2012 FAB Conference) was a key influence in the commercial transformation of Schiphol in recent years |
