Michael Thamm has been chief executive officer of Costa Crociere S.p.A. since July 2012. In this capacity, he has full responsibility for the following brands: AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises and Ibero Cruises. He previously served as president of AIDA Cruises from 2004 to 2012 and Senior Vice President Operations of AIDA Cruises from 1993 to 2004.Prior to joining AIDA Cruises, he held various management positions within the cargo shipping division of Deutsche Seereederei (DSR). Thamm, who holds a master's degree in Economics, is a member of the Executive Committee of the European Cruise Council (ECC), which represents the interests of the world's most important shipping lines in Europe. He was named North European Cruise Personality of the Year 2011, an award selected by Seatrade and V. Ships. In March 2012, the international cruise associations ECC and Cruise Lines International Association appointed Thamm spokesman for the cruise industry in Germany.