London Gatwick Airport (LGW) announced that its Chief Operating Officer Mark Johnston has been appointed as new Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport (EDI). Just the day before, it also shared the news that Stewart Wingate will become chair of the board, with both changes becoming effective from Oct. 1.
Mark Johnston
After two and a half years at LGW, Mark Johnston will replace Gordon Dewar as new Chief Executive of EDI. Johnston was previously Managing Director of Glasgow Airport (GLA). Mark says he was “born and raised” in Edinburgh and expressed being “incredibly proud to…build on success at Scotland’s busiest airport.”
Pierre-Hughes Schmit, LGW Chief Executive credited Johnston with successfully implementing strategic projects such as “next generation security” and “intelligent arrivals” spacing. This refers to landing aircraft being separated by dynamically calculated time-based intervals instead of traditional set distances, according to National Air Traffic Services (NATS). LGW is the world’s first single runway airport to implement this system which NATS report has already cut headwind delays at London Heathrow (LHR) by 62%, as well as cutting carbon emissions due to less airline fuel burn.
LGW confirmed Johnston’s successor will be announced in due course.
Gordon Dewar departs EDI after 14 years and is credited with growing passenger numbers by 85% from 9 million in 2012 to almost 17 million in 2025.
Stewart Wingate
The incoming chair of LGW’s board, Stewart Wingate, was Chief Executive of LGW for 15 years before last year being appointed Managing Director of UK Airports for VINCI Airports and GIP. He is already a member of the LGW, EDI and Belfast International Airport (BFS) boards.
Baroness Margaret Ford will be retiring after almost three years as chair of the LGW board and Wingate credits her with a “legacy of strong and successful engagement with key national and local stakeholders.”
Wingate highlighted how the delivery of LGW’s expansion and Northern Runway programme will be a key focus for his new role. Planning is already underway for this future growth, highlighted by the airport recently launching its largest ever food and beverage tender for five South Terminal units and one North Terminal unit.
Last month, LGW also appointed Kathleen Maes as its new Chief Human Resources Officer.
What do you think of these new Gatwick management changes? Let us know in the comments below.
