Feb 28, 2025
Munich, Germany — Cornerstone International, a Foundation headquartered in Munich, Germany, is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Eszter Péchli as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO) and member of the Foundation’s executive leadership team.
In her new role, Ms. Péchli will oversee the Foundation’s operations, organizational systems, strategic implementation, and cross-functional coordination as Cornerstone International continues to expand its humanitarian, development, and community impact initiatives globally.
Ms. Péchli brings more than 20 years of operational leadership experience from the aviation sector, where she built a distinguished career managing complex international operations, stakeholder coordination, eccentric-focused systems, and high-performance teams in fast-paced and highly regulated environments.
Her appointment reflects Cornerstone International’s commitment to strengthening operational excellence and institutional resilience as the organization scales its programs and partnerships across Europe, Africa and the Oceania.
“Eszter’s leadership background brings a unique and highly valuable perspective to Cornerstone International,” said Margo Szold, the Chairlady for the Foundation. “The aviation industry demands precision, accountability, adaptability, and the ability to manage complex systems under pressure, qualities that directly translate into effective nonprofit operations and humanitarian coordination. Her experience will help strengthen our organizational capacity and long-term sustainability.”
Throughout her career, Ms. Péchli has developed expertise in operational strategy, systems management, team leadership, stakeholder engagement and organizational efficiency. Her ability to manage multi-layered operational environments and deliver consistent performance aligns closely with Cornerstone International’s mission of delivering sustainable, community-centered impact in diverse and often challenging contexts.
As both a senior executive and Board Member, Ms. Péchli is expected to bring an additional governance and strategic oversight dimension to the COO role. Her dual perspective will help bridge operational execution with long-term institutional planning, innovation and organizational accountability.
“Joining Cornerstone International is both an honor and an exciting new chapter in my professional journey,” said Ms. Péchli. “While my background is rooted in aviation, the core principles of operational excellence, people-centered leadership, safety, coordination and resilience are equally essential in the nonprofit sector. I look forward to contributing to an organization committed to meaningful social impact and sustainable global partnerships.”
The Foundation noted that Ms. Péchli’s appointment comes at an important period of organizational growth, as Cornerstone International continues to expand its international programming and strengthen its operational infrastructure to support future initiatives.