Turner to become deputy chairman
Bmi is lining up Wolfgang Prock-Schauer to succeed Nigel Turner as chief executive officer on December 1.
Mr Prock-Schauer, the current ceo of Indian airline Jet Airways, will first become deputy ceo of bmi under Mr Turner on November 1.
Mr Turner will then step aside to become deputy chairman to ensure "a smooth and very cooperative change at the top," the airline said.
"Wolfgang Prock-Schauer will drive forward the turnaround of bmi," said Stefan Lauer, bmi's chairman and Lufthansa management board member.
"A successful turnaround is the basis for providing good future prospects for the airline, its staff and customers."
Mr Lauer said Austrian-born Mr Prock-Schauer was "precisely the right person" to address the challenge of turning around the British carrier.
"Latterly at Jet Airways, he has shown how a company can be successfully positioned and operate in a challenging environment marked by strong competition," Mr Lauer added.
Nigel Turner said after five years as ceo he welcomed Mr Prock-Schauer as his successor.
"For me it is time to move on and I am happy that Lufthansa has given me a challenging role whilst at the same time accommodating my personal requirements," Mr Turner said.
Bmi, which was taken over by Lufthansa in July, has struggled with mounting debt and falling passenger numbers.
Lufthansa paid bmi founder and ex-chairman Sir Michael Bishop a total of £223m in June to buy his stake in the airline.
The purchase came after Sir Michael exercised a share option last October which required Lufthansa, then a minority stakeholder in the airline to buy his 50% plus one share controlling interest in bmi.
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