Bernhard Wodl will become Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Sales & Aviation from October 1, 2024
Top executive from the aviation sector strengthens the management team at the airport / Bernhard Wodl from October 1, 2024 Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Sales & Aviation / New impulses for strategic further development of the passenger product
The position of Head of Sales & Aviation at Salzburg Airport had been vacant since the beginning of the year and was taken over on an interim basis by Airport Managing Director Bettina Ganghofer. Especially for such special positions in the aviation sector, it is necessary to search for potential candidates at European level in order to find the best manager for the airport. The renowned company Iro & Partner Personal & Managementberatung accompanied the search and selection process. Bernhard Wodl was ultimately able to prevail among numerous applicants as the new CCO Sales & Aviation and convince the jury. “I am very pleased to welcome Bernhard Wodl as a new team member in the airport’s management. Until he started here at Lufthansa Airport, Bernhard Wodl was General Manager for the Caucasus region, Central Asia, Belarus and the Russian Federation. As an aviation professional, he will be responsible for and further develop the large Sales & Aviation department in the future.”said airport manager Bettina Ganghofer. Over the course of his career, Bernhard Wodl has held various positions in the aviation industry and can look back on an impressive career. “Bernhard Wodl will fit well into our airport team. With his hands-on mentality and excellent communication skills, he will quickly become a valuable member of our leadership team,” Ganghofer continued.
In addition to developing innovative sales and marketing strategies, Bernhard Wodl was, among other things, general manager of Lufthansa’s business in Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia and Serbia. Before that, he held the position of regional director at Swiss International Airlines (responsible for Austria and Central Eastern Europe) and in this role took over the strategic direction of the sales organization. “I’m really looking forward to the new challenges at Salzburg Airport. I have spent many years professionally in the international aviation sector and would like to use my experience and knowledge to further increase the commercial success of the airport. My clear focus is on expanding the airline business in both the passenger and cargo sectors as well as further developing the passenger product in the new terminal,” said Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Sales & Aviation Bernhard Wodl. Thanks to Bernhard Wodl’s extensive experience in strategic planning and business development, as a former “all-rounder” in the airline industry, he has a special eye for ground handling. His international network and his multilingualism will be of great benefit to the further development of Salzburg Airport, especially when negotiating with partners and airlines.
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Bernhard Wodl was born on February 26, 1977 in Neunkirchen in Lower Austria and has been able to establish himself in various leadership positions within the aviation sector over the years. As of October 2024, he will be Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at Salzburg Airport, where he is responsible for the commercial direction and strategic development of the passenger product at the airport. Bernhard Wodl previously held various key positions at Lufthansa German Airlines. From January 2022 to September 2024, he was General Manager responsible for the regions of Central Asia, Caucasus, Belarus and the Russian Federation, based in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Before that, from 2016 to 2021, he was general manager for the countries of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia, based in Zagreb. He also held the position of deputy chairman of the German-Croatian Industrial and Industry Association from 2017 to 2019 Chamber of Commerce (AHK Croatia).
Bernhard Wodl began his career in 1993 as a freelance travel agent and then gained extensive experience in various functions, including as an IATA specialist or as regional director for Central and Eastern Europe at Swiss International Air Lines. His career at Lufthansa also took him into the areas of business development, operational services and pricing. He is currently deepening his knowledge in the field of business psychology as part of a bachelor’s degree at the IU International University.
Bernhard Wodl is married and has two adult daughters. In his private life, he likes to spend his time hiking, running, cooking and playing the church organ. His broad range of experience and in-depth training make him a valuable manager in the international aviation business.
