Martin Schlingensiepen was born in Düsseldorf on July 19, 1952. After completing his school education in Solingen and military service in 1971 and 1973 respectively, he started his career with Lufthansa as a Management Trainee in Frankfurt, Cologne and New York. In 1977 he joined the personnel department of Lufthansa in Frankfurt. In the same year he enrolled at the Academy for World Trade for evening studies.

In 1980 he was posted to Chicago as Assistant to the Area Manager, USA Midwest; from 1984 - 1988 he established the Muscat station as District Sales Manager for the Sultanate of Oman. In 1988 he was appointed Marketing Manager USA West for Lufthansa AG - based in Los Angeles where he stayed for four years. 

As Area Manager Lufthansa Cargo for Scandinavia and Finland he moved to Stockholm in 1992. Additionally 1998 the Lufthansa Cargo Board appointed him to Area Manager Northern Europe, UK, Ireland and Baltic States. 

On January 1, 2000 Martin Schlingensiepen took over the position as Area Manager Southeast Asia, Australia & Indian Subcontinent, based in Singapore.Effective January 1, 2001 he was appointed Vice President Sales for Asia-Pacific, based in Singapore. 

Martin Schlingensiepen has been appointed Head of Area Management Asia-Pacific with responsibility for handling and sales activities with effect from May 2006. 

He has been in charge of Product Management in Frankfurt as Vice PresidentProduct Management since 1 February 2010 and reports direct to the Board Member Product & Sales.