KLM appoints Zita Schellekens as SVP Sustainability & Strategy

KLM has appointed Zita Schellekens as Senior Vice President (SVP) for Sustainability & Strategy, effective 1 March 2023. This is a new position on KLM's Executive Committee. Previously Schellekens spent two and a half years as Sustainability Director at DSM. In that time, she joined forces with former DSM CEO Feike Sijbesma to invest in innovative, sustainable start-ups. She is also a member of the Royal Schiphol Group's Sustainability Advisory Board. Prior to her position at DSM, Schellekens' responsibilities as Director of Corporate Affairs at HEINEKEN included sustainability, public affairs and communications at various locations in Asia, Africa and the Netherlands.

.n her new role, Schellekens is responsible for the Transformation and Sustainability teams, founded to further accelerate the company's sustainability efforts. She reports directly to KLM CEO Marjan Rintel.

Marjan Rintel - CEO KLM said: "The Dutch want to carry on flying and we see travel increasing globally. KLM intends to make it possible to fly responsibly, because this is the only way we can take KLM safely into the future. That means investing in a good product for customers, making smart use of technology, and setting ambitious sustainability goals. Zita's drive and decisiveness and her wealth of experience in tackling complex sustainability issues at major companies all make her the ideal candidate to lead the way in improving KLM’s sustainability. We were already on the right track and I look forward to what we will achieve together in the time ahead."

Zita Schellekens - upcoming SVP Sustainability & Strategy, commented "I am committing myself to a tremendous mission: the sustainable transformation of KLM. It's a huge and challenging mission, and one that is absolutely necessary. In my new position, strategy, transformation and sustainability converge. That means focusing on accelerating the transition to sustainability, exploiting every innovative solution available, and setting up smart public-private partnerships. I am convinced that my new role will allow me to make a significant contribution to achieving KLM's ambitions and to helping the industry undergo the necessary change."