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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Business
Daniel O'Boyle

Heathrow Airport boss to step down

Heathrow said it recorded the largest increase in passengers of any European airport last year

Heathrow Airport CEO John Holland-Kaye has informed the company’s board that he will step down this year.

Holland-Kaye became the boss of Britain’s largest airport in 2014 and led the airport through the Covid-19 crisis, as well as helping to develop expansion plans that included a controversial third runway. He joined Heathrow in 2009 from construction company Taylor Wimpey, initially as commercial director.

John Holland-Kaye said pretending to need a wheelchair at an airport is ‘absolutely the wrong thing to be doing’ (Yui Mok/PA) (PA Wire)

The Heathrow board has already started the selection process for Holland-Kaye’s replacement, but he will stay on as CEO until a successor is found.

“John has been an extraordinary leader of Heathrow,” Heathrow chair Lord Deighton said. “During the past nine years, he has worked tirelessly and collaboratively with shareholders, ministers, airlines and other stakeholders to ensure the country can be proud of its ‘front door’.”

“The board would like to put on record our gratitude to John for his dedication and commitment to Heathrow throughout his tenure as CEO.”

Heathrow did not give a reason for Holland-Kaye’s departure.

For the year ended 30 September 2022, Heathrow brought in £2.1 billion in revenue and recorded a profit before tax of £643 million.

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