Airlines Catering Association Appoints Michiel van der Eijk as New Strategic Committee President
The Airlines Catering Association (ACA) has today announced the appointment of Michiel van der Eijk as its new Strategic Committee President, effective July 17, 2024 Michiel van der Eijk brings a wealth of experience, leadership, and strategic vision to ACA. He is currently the managing director of KLM Catering Services, a position he has held since 2023.
Van der Eijk joined KLM in 1995 and has held various key positions within the company, showcasing his expertise in managing complex logistical processes and driving innovation and sustainability within the catering sector.
“I am honored to be elected by my peers,” he said. “This is an exciting time for the sector, having to leek its deep wounds after the covid and eager to come up with sustainable solutions for a more bespoke product in a more circular economy. We need a strong ACA to help us achieve that in the years to come.”
He succeeds Robin Padgett, chief executive of dnata Catering, who served as StratCom President from 2020-2024. Under Padgett’s leadership, ACA navigated significant industry challenges, including the global pandemic, and saw a substantial rise in membership and engagement.
Padgett reflected on his tenure, saying, “It was a challenging journey, but I loved every aspect of it and I couldn’t think of anyone better than Michiel to take on the baton and bring this association to new highs.”
The Strategic Committee is the highest organ of the association. As its name implies, it defines the strategic orientation that ACA must follow; it is composed of the members’ CEOs and managing directors and meets at least once a year. It sets the pace and direction, which the Secretariat, with the help and support of the Board, then executes.
ACA’s managing director, Fabio Gamba, expressed his enthusiasm about the new course, stating, "An immense thank you to Robin for his two successive mandates. He is to be credited with great achievements such as the tripling of our membership, and the release of key documents such as the ACA Ramp SMS Guidance Document or the Return-Catering Guidance Document that will, I am sure, soon become industry standards. And welcome Michiel. We all know his, and KLM Catering Services’, unerring push towards more sustainability and greater recycling, a key feature that will define our sector in the years to come. His nomination couldn’t have come at a better time."
