Expansion of the Executive Board to Drive Customer Centricity, Profitable Growth and Technological Innovation
DERTOUR Group announces a series of strategic changes to its Executive Board, reflecting the company’s continued growth. These changes come on the heels of the landmark acquisition of Hotelplan Group in August 2025, which has positioned DERTOUR Group as the umbrella for nearly 200 companies and approximately 15,000 employees. “Our group has entered a new era,” says Christoph Debus, CEO DERTOUR Group. “With the successful acquisition of Hotelplan and our expanded international footprint, it is essential that our leadership structure evolves to reflect our ambitious growth strategy. The extension of our Executive Board, which is effective as of November 1, 2025, will ensure even closer alignment between regions and segments, allowing us to focus on delivering exceptional travel experiences for our international guests and driving our technological transformation agenda in response to developments in artificial intelligence.”
New Executive Board Appointments
In alignment with the company’s growth objectives and strategic priorities, the Executive Board, led by Group CEO Christoph Debus, will comprise the following members:
- Boris Raoul, a highly accomplished and innovative top executive in the travel industry, joins DERTOUR Group as CEO DERTOUR Germany and Austria. He will also serve as Chief Technology Officer DERTOUR Group, accelerating the Group’s technological transformation and fostering innovation across regions and markets.
- Stephanie Schulze zur Wiesch, CEO DERTOUR Suisse, will be appointed member of the Executive Board, reflecting the increased importance of the Swiss market and the integration of the Hotelplan business.
- Ingo Burmester, Executive Board member, will transition from his role as CEO Central Europe (Germany, Austria Switzerland) to the position of CEO Hotel Division DERTOUR Group, highlighting the division’s strategic importance.
- Jiří Jelínek, CEO DERTOUR Eastern Europe, will join the Executive Board in recognition of the growing significance of the Eastern European markets.
- Leif Vase Larsen, CEO International, will retain responsibility for the international markets namely Scandinavia, Finland, United Kingdom, France, and the Benelux region.
- Dr. Klaus-Ulrich Sperl, longstanding CEO Destination Management Companies DERTOUR Group, will join the Executive Board to focus on expanding our experiences and ancillaries.
- Patrick Lambertz, Executive Board Member and Group CFO will continue to oversee Finance, Legal, Corporate Procurement and M&A.
“These appointments strengthen our leadership at a crucial time. With the evolution of our Executive Board, we are forming a strong, integrated team that will champion our strategy across regions and key growth segments. This will allow us to drive forward our focus on customer centricity, profitable growth and technological transformation,” says Christoph Debus. “It is with great joy and genuine excitement that I announce Boris Raoul’s appointment to the Executive Board of DERTOUR Group. He is a distinguished and pioneering travel executive who will lead our technological transformation across the entire Group.”
Changes to the Extended Executive Board
The Extended Executive Board will also see a new appointment: Britta Fischer, Chief HR Officer DERTOUR Germany, will be appointed Chief HR Officer DERTOUR Group and become a member of the Extended Executive Board. Joao Gonzaga, Chief Digital Officer (CDO) DERTOUR Group, and Tobias Jönsson, CEO DERTOUR Northern Europe, will continue their roles as members of the Extended Executive Board. With Ingo Burmester taking over, Karl J. Pojer, currently CEO of DERTOUR Group’s Hotel Division, will transition to a Senior Advisor role for DERTOUR Group.
Focusing on Innovation and Teamwork
The new leadership structure is designed to accelerate strategic execution, foster even better collaboration, and reinforce DERTOUR Group’s commitment to innovation and technological advancement – especially in the context of AI. “Our ‘tech & touch’ approach will combine our employees’ strengths and expertise with digital and AI-driven tools – enhancing both our operational efficiency and the guest experience. Technology, together with a strong team culture and sustainability, will lay the foundation for our future,” explains Christoph Debus. “By investing in digital innovation, we can act more quickly, collaborate more effectively, and create unique travel and user experiences that delight our guests. We are confident that this approach will also provide significant advantages to our partners, as we view the transformation of the industry as a collaborative effort”.
A Customer-Centric Vision for the Future
DERTOUR Group’s vision remains firmly focused on the needs of its guests. “Our customers are at the heart of everything we do,” concludes Christoph Debus. “We are not just selling trips – we are creating extraordinary experiences that turn into lasting memories. With our enhanced leadership team, we are well prepared to deliver on this promise and secure our position as a leading force in the international travel industry.”
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BU: DERTOUR Group announces strategic changes to its Executive Board, led by CEO Christoph Debus.
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Background:
DERTOUR Group has its head office in Cologne, Germany, and is REWE Group’s travel and tourism division. As one of Europe’s leading travel groups, DERTOUR Group encompasses approximately 200 companies and employs around 15,000 people worldwide. Every year, millions of guests travel with one of the Group’s tour operators or specialists. DERTOUR Group includes tour operators such as DERTOUR, ITS, Meiers Weltreisen, Kuoni, Helvetic Tours, ITS Coop Travel, Billa Reisen, Koning Aap, Apollo, Exim Tours and Fischer, as well as around 2,000 travel agencies (such as DERTOUR, DERPART, Kuoni, Exim, and Fischer, plus franchises and partners), the hotel brands Sentido, Aldiana, and ananea and the online travel agency Prijsvrij Vakanties. The DERTOUR Group also offers on-site support: The company runs an agency network with 71 offices in 31 travel destinations. The staff in the destination agencies assist the guests of the DERTOUR Group from their arrival at their holiday destination until their departure. For more information, go to www.dertour-group.com.