Shutterstock New Leadership in Berlin: The board of Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH (FBB) announced this week the appointment of István Szabó as the new Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER).
Szabó will assume his role in autumn 2025, taking over from Thomas Hoff Andersen, who has held the position in recent years.
Szabó brings extensive airport operations experience, having served as the Vice President of Passenger Services and Acting COO at Budapest International Airport.
Under his leadership, the Hungarian airport won two consecutive titles of 'Best Airport in Europe' (in the 15–25 million passengers per year category) in the ACI quality service rating for 2022 and 2024. Moreover, Skytrax awarded the airport a prestigious and rare four-star rating.
Originally from Hungary, Szabó started his professional career in 2005 as the CEO of I-SEC Hungary, a security services provider. Over the years, he gained expertise in aviation security management, operational process management, and service innovation development. From 2016 to 2020, he served as Vice President of Security at Budapest, and since 2020, he has been responsible for passenger services and acted as the COO. Notable achievements under his leadership include the launch of a Remote City Check-in service and the creation of Care Zones for passengers with special needs.
Szabó holds a degree in Law and Political Science from Budapest University. He is a certified aviation security manager, a certified cybersecurity specialist, and a graduate of IATA's security systems management program. He is fluent in English and German.
Jörg Simon, Chairman of the FBB board, stated that the appointment is meant to ensure the continuation of the airport's innovation trend:
'BER has undergone impressive development in recent years. We are confident that Szabó, with his extensive experience, will lead the further digitization and optimization of passenger experience and operational processes.'
Aletta von Massenbach, the company's CEO, also remarked:
'István Szabó will continue to transform BER into an efficient, high-quality, and competitive airport – both for airlines and passengers.'
Szabó commented after his appointment: 'I am grateful to the FBB board for their trust. BER has made significant strides in improving its operational processes since its opening, as the latest Skytrax rating proves. I intend to continue along this path with the team to ensure operational and service excellence – for passengers and airlines alike.'