Isolde Susset is Hapag-Lloyd’s new managing director, replacing Julian Pfitzner, who is leaving the company to pursue other ventures.

In an interview, Pfitzner reflected on his time at Hapag-Lloyd saying: “What I will miss most is working with the people on land and onboard. Especially when it came to overcoming challenges, that was always a very good feeling. I will also miss that slight excitement when a ship comes ‘home’ after a long journey, like the Europa 2, which recently docked in Hamburg for the first time in nine months. It’s like a child standing on the doorstep again after a school trip.”

“I will always remain a part of the Hapag-Lloyd Cruises family. And I will always check where the ships are,” he added.

Susset said: “During my time at this company, I was able to oversee the commissioning of all five current ships. I am proud that I can now take on responsibility at Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.”

Sunset, who has been with the company for 20 years, spoke of her plans for the next few years at the helm of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, stating: “

“My team and I will continue to do everything we can to ensure that the Hapag-Lloyd Cruise brand shines – that we remain the best in the luxury and expedition segments. We will pay particular attention to our service quality. After the pandemic, we also had to close some gaps. We have done this very well, and the guests are very satisfied. But I will continue to listen to where we can optimize and am in close contact with my colleagues. Julian is handing over a great team to me – on land and onboard.”