The Gebrüder Weiss Supervisory Board has appointed Alessandro Cacciola as a new member of the Management Board, effective from 1 March 2026.
Cacciola will head the logistics company’s Air & Sea operations and will replace Lothar Thoma, who will be leaving the company for personal reasons on 31 March 31, when he will formally hand over the reins to his successor.
“In Alessandro Cacciola, we are gaining an experienced leader who possesses the abilities needed to both ensure continuity and generate new impulses at GW,” said Gebrüder Weiss Supervisory Board Chair, Wolfgang Niessner.
“With his support, we plan to further consolidate our expanding Air & Sea business, and grow our services on a global, future-oriented scale.”
Cacciola brings more than two decades’ experience in international logistics to the table. He holds a degree in business administration with a focus on freight forwarding, transport and logistics, as well as an MBA in International Business Management & Leadership.
Cacciola began his professional career with the logistics provider Dachser, where he held several European sales and executive positions before becoming the head of global sales and a member of the Dachser Air & Sea Logistics management board, helping to power the company’s international growth.
In 2019, Cacciola joined the management board of the Andreas Schmid Group and became its CEO. In this capacity, he was responsible for the organization’s comprehensive restructuring and globalization program.
“Gebrüder Weiss is a top-drawer name in the industry and has always stood for credibility, quality and consistent customer centricity,” said Cacciola.
“I am looking forward to meeting my colleagues around the world. To my mind, the free-flowing exchange across and beyond national and cultural borders is an essential factor in success, one that also engenders personal motivation.
“The aim will be to drive the further strategic development of the Gebrüder Weiss product palette by placing a premium on service quality, integrative capability and sustainable solutions – thereby keeping the global supply chains resilient and future-proofed.”
Lothar Thoma has been a member of the Management Board at Gebrüder Weiss since September 1, 2019. Under his guidance, the Air & Sea division successfully evolved despite challenging phases in the market, including the Covid pandemic.
Landmark expansion measures took place during his tenure – in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Thailand, Poland, Germany and elsewhere.
“Starting with my initial experiences in our family business, I have had the good fortune to spend some 40 successful and eventful years in the logistics industry, getting to know myriad countries and cultures, and working with wonderful people,” said Thoma.
“It was a good time, but now I would like to pursue other interests. I wish Alessandro Cacciola and my team great success and cohesiveness.”
Wolfgang Niessner added: “The company would like to explicitly thank Lothar Thoma for his many accomplishments and wish him all the best for the future.”
The handover from Lothar Thoma to Alessandro Cacciola will extend over a one-month transitional period to ensure continuity for customers, partners and staff alike.
Cacciola’s appointment will reinforce the executive tier at Gebrüder Weiss, which consists of Wolfram Senger-Weiss (CEO), Jürgen Bauer and Peter Schafleitner.
Read about more executive appointments in logistics and transport.
