London Gatwick has appointed Mark Johnston as its chief operating officer (COO). He will take over from John Higgins, who stepped in as interim COO in January 2023 in addition to his role as business improvement director at the airport.
Airport operations management experience
Johnston joins London Gatwick after serving as the COO of AGS Airports, the owner of Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports, where he was in post for more than three years. He brings more than two decades’ worth of technical and professional experience, having led security, technical, infrastructure and airport terminal departments.
Before working at AGS, Johnston joined Glasgow Airport in 2004 after various roles in the global semiconductor industry. He held various positions within Glasgow Airport, including operations director, before being appointed managing director in 2018. Johnston was appointed COO of AGS Airports in November 2020.
Stewart Wingate, CEO of London Gatwick, said, “Johnston will join London Gatwick with a wealth of experience and a proven track record as a COO. He is ideally placed to oversee the airport’s operations and strategic partnerships and ensure a great Gatwick experience for passengers.
“As we continue to grow, our vision is to be the airport for everyone, whatever your journey, and we are thrilled to have Johnston join us at such an exciting time for the airport. I’d like to thank John Higgins for stepping into the role of interim COO for the last 15 months and leading the operation at an extremely busy time.”
Vision for London Gatwick
As COO, Johnston is expected to play a critical leadership role at London Gatwick, focusing on delivering the safe, efficient and smooth running of day-to-day airport operations. He will drive the delivery of key strategic projects such as the rollout of next-generation security and aerodrome performance. He will also oversee key departments including passenger operations, security and the aerodrome.
On his first day in the role, Johnston said, “I am thrilled to be joining the UK’s second-busiest airport where we operate the world’s most efficient runway. London Gatwick has exceptional people who work hard every day to deliver a personalized experience that is easy and efficient for all. It is an incredibly exciting time to be joining London Gatwick and I am thoroughly looking forward to getting started and meeting all the team.”
In related news, London Gatwick Airport recently cut its Scope 1 emissions by 90% by switching 300 diesel vehicles to run on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO). Click here to read the full story.