The boss of Stansted Airport is replacing Clare James as managing director of East Midlands Airport.
Manchester Airports Group (MAG) – which owns and operates both airports – is bringing in Steve Griffiths to take over the running of the Castle Donington airport on the Leicestershire/Derbyshire border as part of a management restructuring. The group is understood to be in talks with Ms James about giving her another position within the business.
The new managing director of Stansted will be Gareth Powell, who has spent 19 years at Transport for London, most recently as deputy commissioner and chief customer and strategy officer. The changes are expected to take place later this month.
Steve Griffiths led London Stansted through the Covid-19 pandemic where, MAG said, he drove it to become the UK’s fastest recovering UK airport.
He will take on an expanded managing director role at East Midlands, responsible for all financial, commercial and operational performance at the airport including overseeing the next phase of EMA’s cargo development strategy.
He will also take the lead on MAG’s overall operational transformation across its three airports.
He said: “East Midlands Airport is one of the most important airports in the whole country, forming the backbone of express freight that powers the growth of advanced manufacturing and other high-value industries.
“It is the hub that connects much of the UK to the world’s most important markets.
“I am looking forward to working with the fantastic team at East Midlands to further strengthen that critical national role and realise the huge potential of the freeport, while continuing to deliver excellent customer service to the airport’s loyal passengers and supporting local communities.
“Alongside my leadership of East Midlands Airport, delivering our operational transformation programme will be fundamental to MAG’s growth across the group.
“I want to capitalise on the unique opportunity we have as a national airport operator to lead the way with how to run airports that customers want to use, and airlines want to fly from.”
MAG chief executive Charlie Cornish said: “Steve’s track record speaks for itself, having navigated Stansted successfully through the pandemic and overseen an impressive recovery.
“He will bring this considerable experience to East Midlands, as we look to maximise the contribution it makes both for passengers from across the Midlands and to driving global trade.
“I would like to thank Clare James for the excellent job she has done during her time at EMA since the start of the pandemic.
“Clare has led the airport as it handled record levels of cargo and managed the recovery of the passenger operation, all while improving customer service, strengthening staff engagement, and leading key activity in the region to become the only airport freeport in the UK.”
