SWITZERLAND. Airline services provider gategroup today announced that Xavier Rossinyol will step down as Chief Executive Officer, effective from 1 November, to pursue new challenges outside the airline industry. He will be succeeded by Christoph Schmitz, gategroup’s Chief Financial Officer since January 2015.
Rossinyol, who is well-known in travel retail from his time in senior roles with Dufry, joined gategroup in April 2015. He will remain with the group through January 2022, supporting the transition.
The company praised Rossinyol’s achievements, noting that between 2015 and 2019, gategroup grew its revenues from CHF3 billion to CHF5 billion, enlarging its customer base to 300+ global customers and expanding its footprint to 200+ locations and its presence to 60+ countries. The group also incorporated Servair in 2017 and LSG Europe in 2020, developing strategic partnerships with Air France and Lufthansa.
Through the pandemic, gategroup completed a comprehensive financial restructuring of the group in 2021 and accelerated the expansion into adjacent, non-aviation markets.
“Under Xavier’s leadership, gategroup has truly become a global food-focused company and the world leading inflight caterer, being recognised for providing the most innovative culinary and retail offering tailored to individual customer needs in any market they operate, consistently and efficiently. gategroup is uniquely positioned today for the return of travel and to serve new customers beyond aviation”, said Timo Vättö, Chairman of the Board of gategroup.
Schmitz joined gategroup as Chief Financial Officer and member of the Executive Management Board in January 2015. He led the public-to-private ownership transition in 2016, the acquisitions of Servair and LSG Europe, the changes of ownership in 2018 and 2019, and the restructuring initiatives in 2021.
“Christoph’s contribution has been instrumental to drive the market consolidation strategy and secure the financing to enable gategroup weathering the crisis. The Board is confident that under Christoph’s leadership, the gategroup team will resume and accelerate on its growth path,” said Vättö.
Rossinyol added: “I would like to congratulate Christoph to his appointment as gategroup’s CEO. He has been a key driver of the group’s achievements over the last seven years with his talent, leadership, strategic thinking, commitment, and team focused approach. I am convinced that a new era of success starts for gategroup under the strong leadership of Christoph.”
