February 2025

Andrzej Kozłowski appointed as CEO of eSky Group, succeeding Łukasz Habaj

06 February 2025

The leadership of eSky is now in the hands of the former Vice President and CFO – Andrzej Kozłowski – who has been with eSky for over 10 years. Following the successful integration of Thomas Cook and the dynamic growth in package sales, Kozłowski plans to develop the company in this area further. Łukasz Habaj, one of the co-founders of eSky Group and CEO from 2010-2016 and 2020-2025, is stepping down from the management board due to health reasons. However, he will remain on the Supervisory Board, where he will actively support the company in strengthening its position as a leader in the online travel agency sector in Central and Eastern Europe and in developing the Thomas Cook brand.

In November last year, I suffered a serious skiing accident, the consequences of which prevent me from engaging in work at a level that I would consider up to my personal standards. Therefore, with full responsibility for the company, I have decided to step down from the management board earlier than planned to focus on my full recovery. Initially, I had planned for this transition to take place at the end of this year. Andrzej Kozłowski is an excellent candidate to replace me as CEO. Being fully involved in all aspects of business operations, he guarantees the continuation of the company’s transformation strategy into a modern 21st-century tour operator, of which he is also a co-author. He knows the company inside out, has extensive managerial experience and possesses leadership skills. He has a clear vision for the future and concrete ideas for further development.

Łukasz Habaj, one of the founders and former CEO of eSky Group

Łukasz Habaj returned to the company in 2020 to steer it through the biggest crisis the travel industry had seen in decades. Thanks to the management board's efforts under Habaj's leadership, the company achieved a positive EBITDA result of nearly EUR 14.2 million in 2021, an increase of 104% compared to the pre-pandemic record-breaking year of 2019. A year later, Łukasz Habaj led the development of the Group's strategy for 2022-2027, aimed at transforming the business from a flight ticket broker into an online tour operator and a leader in the OTA segment in the CEE region. That same year, the company secured an investor – MCI Capital – one of the largest private equity funds, now holding a 57% stake.

Between 2021 and 2023, the company achieved triple-digit EBITDA growth, with a cumulative profit of just over EUR 105 million. The past year was particularly successful for eSky Group, with Łukasz Habaj as CEO overseeing the signing of a strategic partnership agreement with Ryanair – Europe's largest low-cost airline – in April, as well as the groundbreaking acquisition of the world’s oldest travel brand, Thomas Cook, in September 2024.

Habaj emphasizes that the Thomas Cook acquisition gave eSky Group a recognisable brand and unique expertise and know-how. As a result, Alan French, the former CEO of Thomas Cook, joined the Group’s executive management team as Chief Holidays Officer, responsible for the dynamic package segment.

Andrzej Kozłowski Plans to Continue the Company’s Strategy

eSky Group's strategic goal is to become the leader in the OTA segment in Central and Eastern Europe by 2027. The key to this ambition will be the development of dynamic packages, a product widely known in Western Europe but a novelty in CEE.

When we developed the new Group strategy with Łukasz Habaj and the other board members, our priority was delivering maximum value to customers. Dynamic packages are a modern solution that combines the best practices from Western Europe with the needs of contemporary consumers in our region. The customer decides when, where, and how they want to travel, and we provide them with everything they need – unmatched flexibility, a wide selection, and attractive prices. All of this comes with a convenient online booking process and flexible payment options.

Andrzej Kozłowski, CEO at eSky Group

The strategy has already yielded impressive results: nearly 100,000 customers in the CEE opted for eSky’s dynamic packages last year.

This result shows that customers appreciate our solutions, and we are already among the top ten largest tour operators in Poland, even though we have only been actively investing in this area for two years. Strengthened by the acquisition of Thomas Cook, we will continue our mission with our excellent team to enable customers to explore the world on their terms, offering personalized travel experiences at the best prices.

Andrzej Kozłowski, CEO at eSky Group

Andrzej Kozłowski has extensive experience in finance and management, having worked for companies such as Deloitte. He joined eSky Group in 2015 as Chief Financial Officer and has been a board member since 2016. During this time, eSky has experienced dynamic growth through international expansion and operational efficiency maximization, achieving outstanding financial results, including a tenfold increase in EBITDA.

Deniz Rymkiewicz