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Pieter Elbers Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 1, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth11 May 1970

Age52 Years

BirthplaceSchiedam, South Holland

ProfessionBusinessman

NationalityDutch

Marital statusMarried

SpouseMarjolein Elbers

Family3 children

Net worth$5 Million

Pieter Elbers Biography

Pieter Elbers is a Dutch aviation executive who spent more than two decades at KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, rising to become its president and CEO before his

Early life and background

Pieter Elbers was born on 11 May 1970 in Schiedam, South Holland. He grew up in his hometown of Schiedam and completed his schooling at De Singel - Primo Schiedam School. Elbers pursued higher education at Fontys University of Applied Sciences and later studied with the Open University of the Netherlands. He also undertook executive education at Columbia Business School and holds a Master of Business Administration.

Career

Elbers began his professional career at KLM Royal Dutch Airlines in 1992. His first role was as a Schiphol Handling Executive, a position he held for three years. Over the following decade he moved through a series of operational and managerial assignments within KLM, taking on increasing responsibility across the airline's network and international operations.

In 2000 he became General Manager Mediterranean, and two years later he was appointed General Manager for Japan and Korea, a role he held until 2005. That year he advanced to Senior Vice President for Network & Alliances, where he was responsible for shaping KLM's route network and for developing partnerships and joint ventures with airline partners.

Elbers continued to climb KLM's leadership ladder, becoming Chief Operating Officer in January 2011. In October 2014 he was elevated to president and chief executive officer of KLM, based at the airline's Amstelveen office. He led the company through the remainder of the 2010s and into the early 2020s.

In April 2019, as his first term as CEO approached expiry, a substantial portion of KLM's workforce expressed support for him remaining in the role; roughly 25,000 employees, reported to represent 71 percent of the workforce, signed a petition urging that he stay on. Elbers stepped down as president and CEO of KLM in May 2022.

Shortly after leaving KLM, Elbers was appointed chief executive officer of InterGlobe Aviation Limited, the operator of IndiGo. The appointment was announced by IndiGo's board on 18 May 2022 and is subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals.

Public profile

Elbers is known for a long career within a single airline group, moving from operational roles at an airport to the chief executive office. Throughout his time at KLM he worked across regional management, network planning and alliance development, and airline operations. He is married to Marjolein Elbers and is a father of three children.

Latest updates

In May 2022 Pieter Elbers left KLM after more than 22 years with the company and took on the role of CEO at IndiGo. The appointment followed the announcement that IndiGo's prior chief executive was nearing retirement; the new role at IndiGo became one of the significant changes in his professional life that year.
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Recent Work

Chief Executive Officer, IndiGo

Appointed CEO of InterGlobe Aviation Limited (IndiGo) in May 2022; appointment subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals.

2022
President & CEO, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

Served as president and chief executive officer of KLM from October 2014 until his resignation in May 2022; had been with KLM since 1992.

2014-2022
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Career Highlights

  1. Joined KLM in 1992 and progressed through airport operations and regional management roles
  2. General Manager Mediterranean (2000) and General Manager Japan & Korea (2002–2005)
  3. Senior Vice President Network & Alliances (2005)
  4. Chief Operating Officer of KLM (January 2011)
  5. President and Chief Executive Officer of KLM (October 2014–May 2022)
  6. Appointed CEO of IndiGo (May 2022)
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Net Worth

$5 Million

Figures are editorial estimates based on publicly available reporting and may change as new information emerges.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Pieter Elbers born?

11 May 1970

What is Pieter Elbers known for?

Businessman

What is Pieter Elbers’s marital status?

Married

Who is Pieter Elbers married to?

Marjolein Elbers

What is Pieter Elbers’s net worth?

$5 Million