BAA chief steps down
BAA chief executive Stephen Nelson is stepping down on April 1.
He will be replaced by Colin Matthews, formerly chief executive of Severn Trent and director of technical operations at British Airways.
Nelson said: “With the opening of Terminal Five, and the completion of the CAA Price Review for the next five years, BAA really is at the start of a new beginning.
“Whilst BAA faced considerable challenges during my period as chief executive, I am immensely proud both of the way the company responded to those challenges, and refocused its efforts to put the passenger first.
“The opening of Terminal Five is a landmark occasion, both for BAA and for the history of aviation in this country. To have delivered this majestic building on time, and on budget, reflects all that is best about BAA and those who work for it, and I wish Colin Matthews and BAA all the best in driving forward that new beginning.â€
Matthews paid tribute to Nelson, who became chief executive in 2006.
“Terminal Five shows the future BAA wants for all its passengers and I am determined to continue to raise standards across all our airports.
“By committing to invest £10bn across our seven airports in the next 10 years, our shareholders have already shown that they too share that vision.
“No-one under-estimates the size of that challenge, or the difficulties we face on a daily basis in delivering it, but, equally, I am fully aware of how significant transforming our airports is for the future of this country and I am immensely proud to be joining BAA and its leadership at such an important time in its history.â€
BAA’s chairman Sir Nigel Rudd added: “BAA is now entering a new era, in which we have to not only complete the transformation of our airports that T5 has begun, but also meet the new demands for quality service and environmental responsibility.
“This is also a period in which BAA will be to the fore in arguing for a new regulatory framework which recognises those priorities. Colin Matthews has the right background and experience to take BAA into that new era.â€
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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