After a 19 month gap, Europe’s largest freight airline has a new chief.

Cargolux’s board of directors named Dirk Reich as CEO, with immediate effect, the company announced on Wednesday. He previously served as a senior executive at Swiss logistics giant Kuehne & Nagel.

Findel-based Cargolux posted losses in five out of the six last financial years, and is in the midst of a turnaround plan.

“Drawing on his vast worldwide experience in the industry, Dirk brings to Cargolux the experience and leadership required to meet the major challenges confronting the air freight industry,” board chair Paul Helminger said in a press statement.

Reich will serve as interim head of sales and marketing, while the search continues for a replacement for Robert van de Weg, who left Cargolux in January and joined Russia’s largest cargo carrier ABC earlier this month. Cargolux COO Peter van de Pas also resigned to join the Russian firm, although the Luxembourg carrier did not announce a replacement.

New Asia-Pacific head

Cargolux additionally named Robert Song as senior vice president of the Asia and Pacific region and member of the executive committee. The former Air New Zealand Cargo manager was most recently an advisor to Henan Civil Aviation and Investment Co. (HNCA), which in January bought a 35% stake in Cargolux for more than $200 million and is injecting at least $15 million in fresh capital into the carrier.

Song will be in charge of “strengthening Cargolux’s market position in the Asia & Pacific region, including the development of the flight program between Luxembourg and Zhengzhou,” the company stated.

Richard Forson, who had served as interim CEO since August 2012, will remain the firm’s CFO.