Star Alliance chief operating officer and general counsel Jeffrey Goh is to step up to become chief executive in the new year.
He will succeed Mark Schwab, who is due to retire at the end of 2016.
Goh will head Star Alliances Services, the German-based brand and project management company which coordinates the activities of the global airline alliance.
He joined Star Alliance in 2007 from Iata and prior to that taught and practised law. He holds a doctorate in the principles and policies of regulating airline competition and regulation.
Executive board chairman, Calin Rovinescu, said: “This early decision lays the groundwork for a smooth leadership transition at the top of the alliance`s management company.
“Mark Schwab led the alliance through an important period.
“After more than a decade of adding new member airlines in significant and strategic markets around the globe, the focus of the alliance has shifted to a closer integration of customer-facing services, systems and processes.
“With Jeffrey, we have selected an experienced aviation professional who is well-known and respected by our member airlines and will be able to lead our organisation through the fast-moving developments in this highly competitive global aviation environment in the coming years.”
Schwab said: “The last five years have been an extremely rewarding experience in an aviation career that has spanned 42 years.
“It is a stimulating challenge to initiate change and progress in such a multi-cultural environment so as to meet the evolving needs of aviation customers globally. I am convinced that our alliance is well-positioned for an exciting future.”
Goh added: “It is critical that we not only deliver greater value to our member airlines but also strive constantly to improve and innovate in the interests of over 600 million customers who fly with Star Alliance member airlines every year.”