Dr. Jan-Wilhelm Breithaupt has been appointed chief executive officer of Jettainer, a global leader in unit load device (ULD) management services, effective June 1, 2024.
He succeeds Thomas Sonntag, who has overseen the company’s international growth since 2019 and is leaving the Lufthansa Group at his own request effective July 1.
An experienced airfreight expert, Breithaupt holds a doctorate in production logistics and has been driving industry-wide digital transformation projects and process improvement initiatives for more than 20 years. He held various positions within the Lufthansa Group and was most recently responsible for global customer service and handling management at Lufthansa Cargo. In this role, he pioneered various digital services for handling, including the electronic Air Waybill. Together with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Digital Test Field Air Cargo, he drove forward the ONE Record initiative, which aims to create a standardized data model to seamlessly integrate all elements of the supply chain and thus improve collaboration within the industry.
“Jettainer will be well-positioned for success under Dr Breithaupt’s leadership. I am very pleased to hand over to an industry leader with deep expertise in ULD management from the customer’s perspective. His professional focus on digitalization and customer service will ensure Jettainer continues its path of sustainable growth,” Sonntag said.
“I appreciate Thomas Sonntag’s dedication and success in growing Jettainer during challenging times for the aviation industry. I wish him the very best in his future endeavors. I am honored to take on this role and look forward to leading Jettainer into its next phase of innovation and excellence. Together with a great global team and international partners, we will continue to drive forward digital transformation and enhance our services for our global customers,” Breithaupt added.