Zurich Airport AG is streamlining its management structure and reducing the number of members on its executive board from seven to six. As the company announced in early February 2026, this step is part of a strategic realignment of internal responsibilities. The restructuring aims to accelerate decision-making processes and improve the efficiency of communication with key stakeholders. At the heart of the personnel changes is the departure of Manuela Staub, the current Head of People & Communication. She will leave the airport operator at the end of July after a transition period, with her previous responsibilities being immediately reassigned to other departments.
The reorganization stipulates that CEO Lukas Brosi will assume direct leadership of the Public Affairs and Corporate Communications departments. This brings the company's political relations and public image even closer to top management. Meanwhile, Human Resources will be integrated into the Finance department and will report to CFO Kevin Fleck. The Visitor Services & Events department will be relocated to the Commercial division under CCO Stefan Gross. These structural adjustments were approved by the Board of Directors, chaired by Josef Felder, in conjunction with the operational management, and are effective immediately.
Additional market observations suggest that this move is part of a broader efficiency initiative, as Zurich Airport faces significant infrastructure projects. These include, in particular, the planned runway extensions and the modernization of the terminal areas, which require tight coordination of management resources. While passenger numbers at Switzerland's most important air traffic hub have recently returned to almost pre-pandemic levels, economic pressure is mounting due to regulatory requirements and increased operating costs. Consolidating resources in a smaller management team is intended to secure the company's financial stability and operational effectiveness for the coming years.
Financial analysts view the streamlining of the management team as a logical continuation of the cost-cutting measures the company implemented following massive losses during the global travel restrictions. By integrating human resources into the finance department, Flughafen Zürich AG also anticipates synergy effects in the administration and management of its approximately 1.700 employees. This positions the airport as an agile player in a highly competitive European aviation market, with a stronger focus on value creation in its core areas of flight operations and commerce. Further personnel changes at the second management level are not ruled out as part of the ongoing reorganization.