A-Rosa has appointed Rolf-Dieter Maltzahn as its new chief executive.
He will replace Jörg Eichler at the start of February 2025 following a handover period.
Eichler is leaving the business after more than 11 years “on his own initiative” to take on a new role in the tourism industry.
Maltzahn will be responsible for all markets, including the UK. UK & Ireland managing director Lucia Rowe will report into him.
He will work closely with the river cruise line’s chief operating officer and co-partner Markus Zoepke.
Maltzahn has previously worked for Tui and Der Touristik. Most recently, he was managing director of tour operator Galeria Reisen and was responsible for its travel and tourism division.
Michael Ungerer, chairman of A-Rosa Group’s advisory board, said: “We are delighted to have found a very experienced but also innovative chief executive for A-Rosa in Rolf-Dieter Maltzahn.
“Thanks to his many years of diverse expertise in the tourism industry, particularly in the areas of business strategy, digitalisation and agile transformation, he will successfully lead A-Rosa River Cruises into the future.
“On behalf of the shareholders and the Advisory Board, I would like to thank Jörg Eichler for over 11 years of successful leadership and for developing A-Rosa into the premium brand it is today.”
Eichler said: “The timing is ideal for a successful handover of management responsibility at A-Rosa.
“Following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, we were able to get A-Rosa firmly back on track by introducing new strategies and technologies.
“In 2024, we achieved the highest turnover in the company’s history and the pre-bookings for 2025, at +35%, also indicate that the more flexible premium fare has been well received. The company can now capitalise on this and continue its success story.”
Maltzahn added: “I am looking forward to continuing the successful growth of A-Rosa.
“This is possible thanks to the strong team and trusting partnerships. In an environment of growth and digitalisation, it is also particularly important to win and maintain customer loyalty with very good omnichannel sales – which we will continue to work on together.”