The chief executive of Cardiff Airport, Debra Bowen Rees, has confirmed she is standing down.
It comes as the Welsh Government-owned airport last week tentatively reopened for commercial flights following the pandemic lockdown in March.
The airport has also confirmed that its chief commercial officer, Spencer Birns, will succeed her in an interim capacity when she steps down on August 1st. She will though remain as an executive director until October, to support the airport's post Covid-19 recovery.
Ms Bowen Rees was appointed chief executive of the Rhoose-based airport in 2017, having previously been managing director. She first joined the airport in聽 2012 from the RAF.
During her time as chief executive the airport has seen a steady rise in passenger numbers (pre-pandemic) as well as securing its first scheduled route into the Middle East with Qatar Airways.
Mr Birns joined the airport in 2006 from Manchester Airport. In 2013 he was elevated to the聽board of聽directors and as chief commercial officer is responsible for its commercial income.
Chairman of the Cardiff Airport, Wayne Harvey, said:"Firstly I would like to thank Deb on behalf of the whole聽airport聽team for her leadership over the past聽six聽years. I have been closely聽watching聽the progress the聽airport聽has made and whilst I have only been part of the聽team聽for the past few weeks,聽I聽can see the聽enormous,聽positive impact she has had.
鈥淪pencer will be taking over the reins at a very challenging time as the aviation industry moves into the recovery phase post Covid-19.
"He has huge industry knowledge and experience as well as a strong understanding of the聽Cardiff聽Airport聽business. I, along with the rest of the board will support him to navigate our way forward as we start the bounce back and look to future opportunities.鈥
Ms Bowen Rees said: "While it has been my long-planned intent to step down from my role at the聽airport聽at this time, it is with real mixed emotions that I聽move聽on聽to the next phase of my career.
聽I feel聽hugely聽privileged to have led the聽Airport聽team over the past聽six聽years and I am immensely proud of all that聽we聽have achieved during that time.聽I will never forget the momentous few days we聽spent聽in support of Team Wales during the Nato Summit in 2014 and the Champions League Final in 2017.聽
鈥淚 would like to thank all of the team at the聽airport聽for the incredible support they have given me since I joined them in 2012 and I will miss them all enormously.聽聽聽
鈥淚 look forward to continuing to work in support of Wales in my board roles with Glas Cymru and the Port of Milford Haven, both of which are nationally important companies with their values and strategic intent focused on making Wales a better place.聽
鈥淭hese are unprecedented times for the aviation sector and聽our national聽airport聽faces significant challenges.聽I leave the聽airport聽in Spencer鈥檚 very capable hands and I聽look forward to聽supporting聽him聽over the next few months聽as he聽welcomes our customers back and聽leads the team through our restart and recovery plan.鈥
Mr Birns said: "I would like to thank the board and our shareholders for giving me the opportunity to聽step up and聽lead the team as interim CEO. We have an amazing team which has become even more evident over the past few months as we聽dealt with the ever-changing global impact of Covid-19
鈥淭he aviation industry and聽airport聽will have聽many challenges ahead and聽whilst it won鈥檛 be easy, I do聽look forward to guiding the business through this period聽as our airlines re-start flying and we rebuild customer confidence in travelling.聽聽
鈥淚聽also聽want to聽personally聽thank Deb for聽her leadership.聽The whole聽airport聽team has聽learnt so much聽from her experience and guidance聽since she joined us from the RAF in 2012.聽It has been a true privilege to have worked with her and聽to have been part of the聽airport聽board during such a transformational time.聽
鈥淥n behalf of the whole team we wish her the very best for the next stage in her career where I鈥檓 sure she鈥檒l keep a close eye on the聽airport鈥檚 progress as she starts her new chapter living in West Wales.鈥澛
