Liverpool John Lennon Airport in northwest England has appointed John Irving (left) as CEO, with effect from March 12, 2018.
Irving joins from Newcastle International Airport where he has worked as the chief commercial officer for the past two and half years. A qualified management accountant, Irving also held senior commercial and financial positions at Newcastle United Football Club and Procter & Gamble.
Robert Hough, director, Peel Group, and chairman of Peel Airports, the operator of LJLA, said, “John has helped Newcastle Airport make significant progress in his time there and we are therefore delighted to welcome him in his new role here at Liverpool airport, bringing drive and determination to take the business on to the next level and to realize its tremendous potential.”
Irving said, “I am very excited at being given the opportunity to take this business forward at a time when the Peel Group’s continued investment in the airport has seen Liverpool become one of the UK’s standout regional airports.
“I am thoroughly looking forward to building on this recent success and for Liverpool to continue to be the faster, easier, friendlier airport of choice for passengers from across the region.”
LJLA handled almost five million passengers in 2017 with flights to more than 60 destinations in the UK and across Europe. Passenger numbers grew by almost 3% last year compared to 2016, generating the airport’s highest annual passenger figures since 2011.