Flughafen Zürich, the operator of Zurich Airport, announced a partial reshuffle of its management on 21 October 2026. Chief Operating Officer Stefan Tschudin will leave the company in mid-2027. Chief Commercial Officer Stefan Gross is heading to India to chair Noida Airport, whose start-up has been slower than expected.
The reorganisation also affects internal structures in Zurich. The changes are to be implemented in the course of 2027, according to the operator’s announcement reported by the Keystone-SDA news agency.
Who is leaving and who is joining Flughafen Zürich’s management?
Several members of the management are changing roles. The table summarises the moves announced on 21 October 2026.
| Person | Role until now | Announced change |
|---|---|---|
| Stefan Tschudin | Chief Operating Officer, at the airport since 2007, member of the management since 2017 | Leaves the company in mid-2027, by mutual agreement |
| Stefan Gross | Chief Commercial Officer, responsible for retail, food and beverage and services since 2016 | Becomes chairman of the board of directors of Noida Airport, in India |
| Lydia Naef | Head of Real Estate | Becomes Chief Commercial Officer, for all non-aviation activities |
Stefan Tschudin’s departure is attributed to “new strategic priorities”, with no further detail.
Why Zurich Airport is sending its chief commercial officer to India
Stefan Gross’s appointment underlines the group’s commitment to its Indian subsidiary. Noida Airport, located near New Delhi, the Indian capital, began operations in June 2026.
However, the start-up has been slower than originally expected. Flughafen Zürich still expects an operating loss at Noida for 2026. Break-even should be reached in 2027, but this is a forecast by the group, not a secured result.
India remains at the heart of the strategy. In the longer term, the group wants to significantly expand its international activities.
A record profit, but a decline expected for the year
Flughafen Zürich’s accounts offer two opposing readings. On the one hand, a strong appetite for travel enabled a record profit in the first half of 2026: that is a finding.
On the other hand, the high costs of the new Noida airport are weighing on results. The group therefore expects a decline in profit for the whole of 2026: that is a forecast.
The Zurich business is thus pulling the accounts up, while the Indian investment is holding them back. Sending a member of the management to Noida shows that the group wants to accelerate the ramp-up of this site.
What the reorganisation changes at Zurich Airport
Lydia Naef takes over all activities that do not fall under aviation operations. Her responsibilities thus bring together real estate and commercial:
- the letting and management of real estate space;
- shops and restaurants;
- other services for passengers and visitors.
The real estate division is also being reorganised. A new department will be responsible for construction projects as well as the operation and maintenance of buildings. This choice reflects the major construction and renovation work planned at the airport in the coming years.
The size of the group’s management is unchanged. The search for new members to lead aviation operations and the new construction division is due to begin in the weeks following the announcement.
What we don’t know yet
- Who will succeed Stefan Tschudin at the head of aviation operations, and who will lead the new construction division.
- The size of the operating loss expected at Noida and of the decline in annual profit: the published information does not put a figure on them.
- Whether Noida will indeed reach break-even in 2027, as the group forecasts.
- The precise timetable for the changes, announced only for “the course of 2027”.
- The exact content of the “new strategic priorities” cited for the chief operating officer’s departure.
Sources
- Zurich Airport reorganises its management, SWI swissinfo.ch (Keystone-SDA), 21 October 2026
