Christoph Mueller | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1961-12-17)17 December 1961 (age 64) Wuppertal, Germany |
| Alma mater | University of Cologne |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Spouse | Divorced |
Christoph R. Mueller (born 17 December 1961) is a German businessman. From 2016 to 2019, he was chief digital and innovation officer ofEmirates Group. He is the formerchief executive officer ofMalaysia Airlines. With over 25 years' experience as a turnaround specialist in the aviation, logistic and tourism industry, Mueller has been widely credited with leading the financial recovery ofAer Lingus.[1][2]
Mueller holds an MBA from theUniversity of Cologne and completed an Advanced Management Program atHarvard Business School.[3] In 1989, Mueller joined German airlineLufthansa as afinancial analyst in the internal audit department. From 1991 to 1994 he was a financial controller withDaimler-Benz Aerospace where he implemented restructuring programmes in the subsidiariesElbe Flugzeugwerke, Dresden, Dornier and Fokker in Amsterdam. He re-joined Lufthansa as Senior Vice President of Finance in 1994 and became Executive Vice President in Corporate Planning and Network Management.[citation needed]
In 1999, he joined Belgian airlineSabena as CEO. Following the11 September attacks and the subsequent downturn in the airline industry, the company filed for bankruptcy in 2001. Mueller raised funds and foundedBrussels Airlines, which started operations a day after the grounding of Sabena, where he remained chairman until 2002.[citation needed] He later served as thechief financial officer ofDHL Worldwide where he was responsible for the successful turnaround programme which led to an improved bottom line of US$300 million within a year. In his expansive career in the aviation and logistic industry, Mueller was also the executive aviation director atTui Travel, aFTSE 100 company, where he restructured the entire lease portfolio and order book of seven airlines with a total fleet of 170 aircraft.
In 2009, Mueller was appointed CEO of Irish airlineAer Lingus where he repositioned the loss making company as a service airline to compete with low budget alternatives, such asRyanair. Mueller successfully expanded the airline's transatlantic services, repositioning it as a more service oriented carrier.[4] During his time in Ireland, he was also a member of the board ofTourism Ireland and chairman ofAn Post.[5] In 2015, he left Ireland to take up the CEO position atMalaysia Airlines; a company struggling after two air incidents, the disappearance ofMalaysia Airlines Flight 370 and the attack onMalaysia Airlines Flight 17, as well as competition from low budget airlineAir Asia.[6][7] Mueller joined the airline after it was privatized and subsequently announced 6000 job cuts, roughly a third of the workforce.[8] Less than a year later however, Mueller resigned from the company, citing changing personal circumstances.[9]
In September 2016, Mueller joinedEmirates Group as chief digital and innovation officer and resigned on 7 February 2019.[10]
Mueller was previously President of IACA, theInternational Air Carrier Association, in Brussels, and chairman of the Advisory Board ofEurocontrol.[citation needed] He has served as a Non Executive Director in multiple companies amongst others,LOT,Luxair,Lauda Air,Tuifly andHapag-Lloyd Shipping.[citation needed]
| Business positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | CEO ofAer Lingus 2009–2015 | Succeeded by |