Background
Pichler was born and raised in Munich, Germany.
manager airline executive chief master
Pichler was born and raised in Munich, Germany.
University of Augsburg.
He is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Air Berlin. Previously, Pichler served as Chief Executive Officer of Jazeera Airways, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Thomas Cook AG and Chairman of the Bundesverband der Deutschen Tourismuswirtschaft, as well as Managing Director of Fiji Airways Additionally, he has held Senior and Executive Board roles at Virgin Australia and Lufthansa. In November 2014, Air Berlin appointed Pichler as Chief Executive Officer effective February 2015.
He received a master"s degree in economics and law from Augsburg University and a post graduate degree from European Institute of Business Administration (Institut Européen d'Administration des Affaires). In 1983, Pichler began his career as Head of Sport Promotions for Nike in Beaverton, Oregon.
Pichler became the Marketing and Sales Director of France for Lufthansa in 1989. In 1991, Lufthansa appointed Pichler Managing Director for Lufthansa France, based in Paris.
In January 2000, Pichler was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Thomas Cook AG, a national tour operator. He helped develop the company to the world"s second largest leisure group.
Focus ranked Pichler number one on its list of the "Top 30 Tourism Managers" in 2003 for the third consecutive year.
The following year he was appointed Chief Commercial Officer and Chairman of Virgin Australia. In 2009, Pichler joined Jazeera Airways as Chief Executive Officer. In 2011, the airline"s operating profit margin was the second highest in the global airline industry (256%) and in 2012, the margin was 30.2%. In September 2013, Pichler was appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Fiji Airways.
He was promoted to Chairman of Tourism Fiji in August 2014.
He has also held non-executive director of major German corporations including Deutsche Bank and Steigenberger Hotels. In November 2014, Air Berlin appointed Pichler Chief Executive Officer effective February 2015.
Pichler is a former internationally ranked marathon runner and ran for the German national team
He was promoted to Head of Worldwide Sales for Lufthansa in 1996 and appointment as a member of Lufthansa"s Executive Board the following year. Additionally, Pichler served as a member of the Board of Tourism Australia and held roles at the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and the Tourism Working Group of the World Economic Forum.