His departure comes as Lufthansa tries to squeeze another 1.5 billion euros of savings out of its business to bolster paper-thin margins and find cash to compete with fast-growing Middle East carriers such as Emirates and Etihad.
Gemkow, 52, who has been with Lufthansa for more than 20 years, became CFO in 2006 after a stint as head of finance at Lufthansa Cargo, the carrier's air freight arm.
He was credited with shepherding Lufthansa through the aviation industry's worst year ever - 2009's global economic crisis - and keeping the carrier profitable on an operating level while rivals such as Air France-KLM and British Airways struggled.
He also oversaw a shopping spree that added Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and recently-sold bmi to the group's stable of carriers.
"Pending approval by the boards (of Lufthansa and Haniel), we are pleased to be able to win Mr. Gemkow for us," a spokesman for Haniel said on Wednesday, following a report on German website Manager Magazin Online. (Reuters)
