Volker Lemke has resigned as director of sales and international projects at DRF (German Air Rescue) and taken up the role of director of sales and marketing at Flight Ambulance International (FAI). Lemke, who worked at DRF for four years, has also been appointed as a member of FAI’s executive board.

Citing personal perspective and FAI’s clear company focus as key reasons for making the switch, he commented: “German Air Rescue is a pretty huge organisation, operating about 50 helicopters with hundreds of people working for Team DRF. The fixed wing branch has always been a very small part of the organisation and it’s not focused on this type of air ambulance service.

“For FAI, there is a clear focus. We have a growing business share of air ambulance services, with about 80 per cent of our operations focusing on these and public health services.”

Lemke believes that the lack of bureaucracy at FAI will help him to remain focused on his sales and marketing responsibilities. “The whole company is more flexible, with a very slim structure, and has a speedy decision making process. The founder and owner, Siegfried Axtmann, is my direct boss and if we both decide upon something, we can do it. With a huge organisation like German Air Rescue, all decision making processes must go through the board.”