Highland and Islands Airports (Hial) has hired Aberdonian Stewart Adams, a former chief executive at Scottish airline Loganair, as interim managing director.
The move comes about six weeks after Hial said current MD Inglis Lyon would step down at the end of June.
Hial runs the airports in Inverness and Dundee airports, as well as nine smaller terminals across the Highlands and Islands.
All change at the top
Mr Adams will join the business on June 14. Mr Lyons, Hial’s MD since 2005, is leaving at the end of June.
Scottish Government-owned Hial is still on the lookout for a permanent successor to its outgoing MD.
Lorna Jack, the group’s chairwoman said the “calibre and experience” of its interim boss would help the business stay focused on strategic priorities as the search goes on.
She added: “On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Inglis for his contribution over the last 18 years and wish him well as he prepares for the next chapter in his life.”
Mr Adams’s aviation career includes key roles with airlines and airport operators.
His last role was a four-year stint as CEO at Glasgow Prestwick Airport.
He was CEO at Loganair from January 2013 to May 2016, with “personal reasons” cited for him leaving that role.
The 63-year-old was previously managing director of Singapore’s Tiger Airways and before that Aberdeen-based bmi regional.
Hial’s airports ‘vital for local communities’
Looking forward to taking the reins at Hial, if only for a short time, Mr Adams said: “I am thrilled.
“Having worked in the aviation industry for over 40 years, I know only too well the vital role that Hial’s 11 airports play in Scotland’s transport network. The air connectivity and support their airports provide for lifeline and essential services are vital for local communities.”
He added: “I was born and still live in Aberdeen, so my roots are firmly in the north of Scotland.
“I look forward to working alongside the Hial board, the senior management team and the dedicated team that form Hial.”
Conversation