Bristol Airport has confirmed Charley Maher as its incoming chief executive, taking over from Dave Lees who is stepping down at the end of the year after leading the airport since 2018.
The appointment was announced on Tuesday 22 September following what the airport's chairman, Jason Holt, described as an "extensive and highly competitive selection process". Maher currently serves as group chief executive of South Staffordshire Group, a regulated water and infrastructure services company, and has previously held senior roles at NatWest and Wessex Water/YTL Group.
"Charley brings extensive experience of delivering long-term infrastructure investment, successful customer delivery, and the balancing of commercial performance with environmental and social responsibilities," Holt said.
Maher, who said she grew up and has lived and worked in North Somerset and Bristol, will take up the role in the coming months. "It is a real privilege to be appointed to such a key role that sits at the heart of the region I call home," she said. "The airport plays an important part in connecting people, supporting businesses and helping our communities thrive."
Lees, who is retiring, called leading Bristol Airport "the highlight of my career" and pointed to the airport's progress on its pathway to net zero operations by 2030 as part of his legacy.
The leadership change comes as Bristol Airport, England's third-largest regional airport with more than 10.8 million passengers over the past year, pushes ahead with a £400m upgrade and a contested bid to grow capacity to 15 million passengers ann