Max Kownatzki, CEO of SunExpress, is departing the role in order to serve as CEO of Lufthansa Group airline Eurowings. SunExpress is a 50/50 joint venture between Lufthansa Group and Turkish Airlines.
“As I continue my journey within the Lufthansa Group, taking on the role of CEO at Eurowings as of February 1, 2026, I will be closely following every step of [SunExpress'] success still to come,” said Kownatzki.
He will succeed Jens Bischof, who is stepping down from the position at the end of the year. Bischof was named CEO in March 2020 and has over 35 years in leading roles within the Lufthansa Group.
Kownatzki has previous experience within Eurowings, having been cofounder and chief commercial officer of Eurowings Europe flight operations in 2015. He was later responsible for business development at Eurowings as senior vice president.
SunExpress has appointed Marcus Schnabel as its new CEO to succeed Kownatzki.