Brussels Airlines Appoints Ilse Adriaen as Country Manager for Ghana

Brussels Airlines has named Ilse Adriaen as the new Country Manager for Ghana, bringing her extensive experience in management roles across West Africa. Adriaen has previously held managerial positions in the telecom sector in Benin and the transport and logistics sectors in Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire. Since joining Brussels Airlines in 2019 as Country Manager for Benin, Adriaen has demonstrated her commitment and expertise.

Adriaen succeeds Geert Lemmen, who retired in December 2024 after an illustrious 41-year career in the airline industry. Born in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Adriaen moved to Belgium at the age of 15. After completing her studies and working in Belgium for four years, she returned to Africa, driven by a strong desire to contribute to the continent’s growth.

Her journey led her to various roles, including a commercial manager position at MTN in Benin and roles with Bolloré in Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire. Reflecting on her time in Benin, Adriaen expressed gratitude and anticipation for her new role in Ghana. “Working on the African continent has been a journey filled with challenges and incredible rewards. My time here has opened my eyes to endless possibilities and taught me the power of resilience, collaboration, and community,” she said.

Elizabeth Quansah, Station Manager, echoed the sentiment, stating, “We are delighted to welcome Ilse in her new role, bringing her expertise and passion to another of our 18 sub-Saharan African destinations. With Ilse’s wealth of experience across West Africa, we look forward to strengthening our market position and fostering the trusted relationships we have built with local authorities, business partners, and customers.”

Brussels Airlines, the African competence center of the Lufthansa Group, is expanding its capacity to sub-Saharan Africa, with plans to operate 56 weekly flights to the region in summer 2025, a 10% increase compared to summer 2024. The airline also plans to grow its long-haul fleet to 13 aircraft in the coming years.