New managing director for the Jena-Schöngleina airfield

At its meeting on June 17, 2025, the Supervisory Board of Stadtwerke Jena GmbH set the course for a change of management at the Jena-Schüngleina airfield.
Hendrik Hoppe from Jena will take over the management of Verkehrslandeplatz Jena-Schöngleina GmbH on October 1, 2025, succeeding Wolfgang Kuhnert. The shareholders of the GmbH are Stadtwerke Jena GmbH and the Saale-Holzland district in equal shares.

With Hendrik Hoppe, the airfield is gaining an internationally experienced  Leadership with regional roots. The Jena native can look back on a long career in internationally operating IT and technology companies and currently holds a management position at a technology provider specializing in retail. Since 2014, Hoppe has also been Managing Director of flumag GmbH, which operates a hangar at the airfield - a role he will continue to hold in the future. As the holder of a pilot's license, Hoppe not only brings practical aviation knowledge with him, but also has extensive experience in company management, personnel management and dealing with institutions and decision-makers.
„I would like to thank you for your trust. My focus is on maintaining and expanding the airport. In particular, the significant investment backlog is a challenge that I want to tackle with the highest priority, explains Hendrik Hoppe.
The current CEO Wolfgang Kuhnert, whose term of office was originally scheduled to run until March 31, 2026, has expressed his wish to step down from the management board this year. The exact date of his departure is currently being determined in consultation between the shareholders.

Dr. Thomas Nitzsche, Lord Mayor of the City of Jena and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Stadtwerke Jena GmbH, welcomed the decision: „With Hendrik Hoppe, we are gaining a person who combines management expertise with a passion for aviation and a deep connection to the region. Our special thanks also go to Wolfgang Kuhnert, who has managed the airfield with great commitment for many years.

Johann Waschnewski, District Administrator of the Saale-Holzland district, also appreciates the upcoming change: „I am very pleased that in Mr. Hoppe we have found a managing director who knows aviation and the Jena-Schöngleina airfield very well and who, with his professional experience, brings business and entrepreneurial skills to develop the airfield. He is very well networked in the region, which facilitates good cooperation. The airfield is an important part of our infrastructure, particularly for the economy, but also for healthcare, as the location of the rescue helicopter and for organ transportation.
The appointment of Hendrik Hoppe as Managing Director is initially for three years - until September 30, 2028.