New chief executive to join Sunweb Group in May

Online travel company Sunweb Group has appointed Mieke De Schepper as its new chief executive, taking on the role from May 1.

The Netherlands-based operator has brands in seven international markets: the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, France, UK and Germany.

The previous chief executive, Mattijs ten Brink, left in July 2023 after “different views” emerged between him and the board about the future direction of the group.

Lars Löfgren, chairman, stepped in as interim chief executive to work with managing director Jeroen de Swart, who is also chief financial officer of Sunweb Group, during the transition period.

Until recently De Schepper was chief commercial officer at online consumer reviews platform Trustpilot.

She is currently a member of the supervisory board of trivago and Just Eat Takeaway.com.

De Schepper has also held executive roles in regional and global positions with Expedia Group and Amadeus.

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David Kelly, chairman, said: “The appointment of Mieke represents a significant step forward in Sunweb Group’s ongoing strategic development.

“The addition of such an experienced leader in the digital travel sphere reinforces Sunweb Group’s ambitions and provides the impetus for an exciting new phase in our journey.”

She added: “Sunweb Group plays an important role in the European travel market and it is extremely well placed to strengthen its market position thanks to its entrepreneurial spirit.

“Sunweb Group’s asset-light business model enables agility, and the business has built a close working relationship with its strong partner network. As a result, we can quickly and effectively adapt to changing customer needs, giving us a key market differentiator in Europe.”

De Schepper has Belgian roots and lived and worked abroad for more than 20 years before returning to the Netherlands, where she spent much of her early life.

The Sunweb Group has more than 1.25 million passengers a year, with an annual turnover of more than €1 billion.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority granted Sunweb an Atol in February, after Travel Weekly reported it was offering flight-based package holidays for sale through its UK online retail arm Sunweb UK without a licence.