Pierre-Hugues Schmit London Gatwick CEO
London Gatwick¡¯s new CEO Pierre-Hugues Schmit has taken up his role at the UK¡¯s second largest airport this week.
Schmit succeeds Stewart Wingate who becomes managing director of UK airports, a newly created role by VINCI Airports and Global Infrastructure Partners overseeing the ¡°strategic direction¡± of Gatwick, Edinburgh and Belfast International airports.
The change in CEO, which was announced in June, comes as Gatwick waits for a key decision on its ?2.2 billion expansion plan by the UK government in the coming weeks.?
The airport wants to convert its northern runway, which is currently used as a taxiway, into a fully operational runway. The government gave its provisional support to the plan in February but pushed the deadline for a final decision back to 27 October.
Schmit was previously VINCI¡¯s chief commercial and operational officer for eight years covering 70 airports around the world.
¡°This is an exciting time to join, with more airlines than ever before using the airport and a final decision from the government on our northern runway planning application just weeks away,¡± said Schmit.
¡°Our teams work extremely hard every day to ensure we provide an efficient, enjoyable and accessible experience for passengers. I¡¯m looking forward to working with everyone to keep improving the service we provide and realising the significant growth opportunities that lie ahead.¡±?