Star Alliance appoints Christopher Korenke as new Vice-President Commercial
FRANKFURT, Germany – January 15th, 2008 - Star Alliance, the way the Earth connects, has appointed Christopher Korenke as Vice-President Commercial effective February 1st, 2008. Reporting directly to the Star Alliance CEO, Mr. Korenke will have responsibility for all loyalty, marketing and sales functions at Star Alliance Services GmbH, the project and brand Management Company working on behalf of the 19-member airline alliance.
Commenting on his appointment, Mr. Korenke said: “I am enthusiastic about working for the largest and most advanced airline alliance. The way Star Alliance is organised is considered as a reference within the aviation industry and I am looking forward, together with my team, to continue the successful development and implementation of new commercial projects and thus to contribute to the strength of the alliance and its members.”
Mr. Korenke joins Star Alliance from Air France, where he was Commercial Director for Europe and North Africa, based in Paris. All in all, Mr. Korenke spent more than 20 years with the French carrier, which he joined as a local employee in Germany in 1984. He has subsequently held various positions, such as Vice President and General Manager for the United States, General Manager for Central Europe and General Manager for Germany.
The foundation of his profound industry knowledge was laid in 1978 when he began his dual-vocational studies in Travel Agency Management at Hapag Lloyd in Frankfurt, Germany, which consisted of theoretical education and on the job training. He subsequently became Responsible for various Key Accounts within the Commercial Department at the same company.
“Christopher is bringing a wealth of industry knowledge and experience into to the Star Alliance team. Building on this he will be defining the way forward and supporting the goals for Sales, Marketing, our worldwide brand, our new e-business solutions and the frequent flyer and loyalty components, thereby contributing to the overall Star Alliance strategy”, said Jaan Albrecht, CEO, Star Alliance.
Mr. Korenke, 49, is married and has four children.
About Star Alliance:
The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer customers worldwide reach and a smooth travel experience. Star Alliance was voted Best Airline Alliance by Business Traveller Magazine in 2003, 2006 and 2007 and by Skytrax in 2003, 2005 and 2007. The members are Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, bmi, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Spanair, SWISS, TAP Portugal, THAI, United and US Airways. Regional member carriers Adria Airways (Slovenia), Blue1 (Finland) and Croatia Airlines enhance the global network. Air India, EgyptAir and Turkish Airlines have been accepted as future members. Overall, the Star Alliance network offers more than 17,000 daily flights to 897 destinations in 160 countries.
For further information please contact:
Star Alliance Press Office
Tel: +49 69 96375 183
Fax: +49 69 96375 683
Email: mediarelations@staralliance.com
www.staralliance.com