Next July, Meyer Werft will have a new CEO from the aviation industry in André Walter.
Change of leadership at Meyer Werft in Papenburg: The Supervisory Board has appointed André Walter as the new Chief Executive Officer with effect from July 1, 2026. He succeeds Bernd Eikens, who is handing over the management of the company at his own request.
Walter has been CEO of the aviation group Airbus and Airbus Aerostructures since 2022. The mechanical engineer began his career there in 2006, including in management positions at the Bremen and Hamburg sites.
“Meyer Werft Group would like to express its sincere thanks to Bernd Eikens,” said Klaus Richter, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Papenburg shipyard. Eikens took over the management in a difficult financial situation and laid the foundation for a successful turnaround. “We are delighted to have André Walter as the new Managing Director of Meyer Werft. With his experience, he will continue on this path and further develop the shipyard. André Walter has outstanding expertise in corporate management.”
Heiko Messerschmidt, Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board, added: “We would like to thank Eikens for his trusting cooperation. The employee representatives on the Supervisory Board warmly welcome André Walter to his new position. We will continue to work in partnership with the Works Council, IG Metall and the management. We already know Walter’s way of working from his time at Airbus and look forward to continuing this cooperation at Meyer Werft.”
The last personnel changes in the shipyard’s management took place in October: Melanie Freytag has been appointed as the new CFO, Jörg Heidelberg as COO. Since the beginning of the year, the partially nationalized company has also had a Supervisory Board and thus a new corporate structure. This measure is part of the restructuring plan agreed between the federal and state shareholders, the Meyer family and the financing bankers.
