Steven ZAAT

About Steven ZAAT

Steven Zaat is the Chief Financial Officer of Air France-KLM, one of Europe’s leading airline groups, where he plays a central role in financial discipline, capital allocation, and the execution of the group’s transformation strategy. He was appointed CFO of Air France-KLM effective 1 July 2021, after holding senior financial positions within Air France and the wider group. As a member of the Group Executive Committee, he reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer and contributes to the company’s economic, financial, and industrial priorities. Zaat has more than 20 years of experience in the airline industry. He joined KLM in 2000, where he held a series of finance roles in the Engineering & Maintenance division before becoming VP Finance Alliances and Head of Audit, working closely with Frédéric Gagey, then CFO of KLM. In 2014, he joined Air France-KLM as VP Finance & Control for Engineering & Maintenance, and in 2015 he was promoted to SVP Corporate Control. In July 2019, he was appointed CFO of Air France, and two years later he moved into the group CFO role. His career reflects deep expertise in financial control, audit, performance management, and corporate governance in a highly demanding aviation environment. He holds a degree in economics and business from Erasmus University Rotterdam and a postgraduate Certified Controller diploma from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Controllers Institute. In a sector characterized by thin margins, high capital intensity, debt management challenges, and a major environmental transition, his responsibilities are particularly strategic: ensuring financial resilience while supporting fleet investment, network development, and decarbonization priorities. Among the group’s most important priorities are balance sheet strengthening, operational performance monitoring, and support for major strategic initiatives, particularly sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Air France-KLM has signed multiple long-term SAF supply agreements and has reiterated ambitious emissions-reduction targets, making financial rigor and investment credibility essential to execution. In that context, Steven Zaat stands out as a seasoned industrial finance leader, combining budgetary control, long-term strategic thinking, and support for the group’s ESG agenda.