Ivo c as chief operating officer as the inflight entertainment and onboard retail technology company prepares for a busy year ahead and deploys large-scale programmes with numerous global airline customers.

Hailing from the Netherlands, Zaal was in fact the first employee ever hired by AirFi (founders excluded) back in 2013, when the company was based in a two-room office next to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. During an important scale-up period for AirFi, Zaal served as global operations manager looking after global project management, process improvements, customer success and operational management.

Zaal holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration, plus certifications in Structured Query Language (SQL), Google Data Analytics and Lean Six Sigma. His hiatus from AirFi saw Zaal broaden his professional experience, specifically regarding operational, financial and customer service expertise, with leadership roles at the likes of Heineken and Coolblue, one of the largest online shops in the Netherlands and Belgium.

“I’m very excited to be back at AirFi, which has been such an important part of my career. Even when I made the decision to explore other opportunities, I kept in touch with the AirFi team and was amazed to see how the company has grown over the past several years,” said Zaal. “Bringing the skills and experience I have gained since my last tenure, I will be able to help this global organization implement processes to work smarter and more efficiently, while creating stronger engagement within our departments and with our valued customers.”

This new appointment comes as founding AirFi partner and incumbent COO, Martijn Moret officially steps down from his active role in day-to-day operations.

Commenting on Moret’s departure AirFi CEO Job Heimerikx said: “While his term as our COO comes to an end, Martijn will continue to contribute to important matters and projects within the company as a board member and a shareholder. I sincerely thank him for being a pillar of strength from the beginning of our journey, his contribution to the success of AirFi today, and for standing by me as a companion, confidant, and a great business partner.”

“Under Ivo’s leadership and with our unwavering trust and support, AirFi will undoubtedly continue to disrupt the market through innovation, strengthen our unique company culture and perform at its highest potential,” he added.