NCLH Replaces CFO Kempa With Chief Strategy Officer Meghan Montana

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings will hand the CFO role to Chief Strategy Officer Meghan Montana on January 1, 2027, replacing Mark Kempa after more than 25 years at the company.

Kempa stays on in an advisory capacity through June 2027 to support the transition, the company announced. The six-month overlap signals NCLH wants continuity in financial leadership while it works through an active turnaround program.

Who is leaving, and what did he leave behind?

Kempa joined Norwegian in 1999 and served as CFO through the company's IPO and the acquisitions of Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises — the deals that built NCLH's three-brand portfolio. CEO John W. Chidsey credited him with keeping the company alive during the pandemic.

"Mark has been a stalwart leader for Norwegian since 1999, guiding the business through our IPO and the acquisition of Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises," Chidsey said. "His financial leadership was instrumental in ensuring the Company's survival during the COVID-19 pandemic."

Chidsey also noted Kempa's most recent work: cost-savings initiatives across shipboard and shoreside operations. For sellers and suppliers, that program has already shaped contract terms and operating budgets across the three brands.

Kempa framed the departure as a handover to a ready successor. "It has been a privilege to serve as NCLH's CFO and lead our talented finance team," he said. "As I step aside and hand over the reins, Meghan and the team have my full confidence."

What does Montana bring to the role?

Montana carries nearly two decades of experience in corporate finance, investment banking and strategic planning. She joined NCLH in January 2026 as Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer, running the transformation office, the turnaround strategy and global outsourcing initiatives — the exact agenda she will now fund and steward as CFO.

Her prior posts sit squarely in capital-intensive industries:

• Senior Vice President of Finance and Corporate Development at American Airlines, covering financial planning and analysis, divisional finance and corporate development
• Treasurer of American Airlines, overseeing global banking, fleet transactions, asset management and insurance through the pandemic and recovery
• Senior banking roles at Standard Chartered, Deutsche Bank and Royal Bank of Scotland

She holds an MBA from NYU's Stern School of Business and a bachelor's degree in finance from Miami University.

Chidsey tied the appointment directly to the turnaround. "Meghan's extensive financial experience and clear understanding of the priorities driving our turnaround give me great confidence in her ability to step into the role of CFO," he said, adding that he looks forward to working with her to "improve performance, strengthen our balance sheet and deliver long-term shareholder value."

What changes for the numbers?

Montana set her own priorities in clear terms: disciplined execution and capital allocation, a stronger financial position, and translating strategy into sustainable performance gains. "I am honored to take on this role at this important stage of NCLH's turnaround," she said.

The structure of the move — a strategy chief promoted into finance, with the outgoing CFO advising for six months — keeps the turnaround's architects in place through mid-2027. Montana takes the CFO seat as NCLH enters 2027 with its cost program running and its balance-sheet repair unfinished.