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Change of leadership at Wellington Airport
22 May 2007
Change of leadership at Wellington Airport
A change of leadership will take place at Wellington Airport during the course of this year with the departure of Simon Draper and appointment of Steven Fitzgerald.
Simon Draper, who has been CEO of Wellington Airport since early 2004, will be moving to Australia as CEO of another Infratil company, Victoria Electricity. Another highly capable Infratil executive will be stepping in to ensure continuity. Steven Fitzgerald, CEO of Infratil Airports Europe, will take on a new role running Wellington Airport as well as Infratil’s European airports. He will be based in Wellington.
Steven has been CEO of Infratil Airports Europe since early 2005. That group has grown to include Glasgow Prestwick Airport, Kent International Airport and Lubeck Airport. Prior to joining Infratil Airports Europe, Steven held several senior positions at Sydney Airport. It is expected he will relocate to Wellington at the beginning of 2008.
Simon Draper is also staying within the Infratil group, joining the growing energy business in Australia. Prior to his role at Wellington Airport, Simon was a senior executive at Integral Energy, one of the largest electricity retailers in New South Wales. He will remain at Wellington Airport until the end July and will take up the position as CEO of Victoria Electricity at the beginning of September. Owing to his ongoing role in the Infratil group, he will continue to provide advice and assistance to the Wellington Airport management and Board.
Under Simon’s leadership, Wellington Airport initiated a period of investment in safety, travel promotion and better facilities that are able to accommodate growth. This included new initiatives in tourism promotion and air services as well as development of the terminal and the runway safety extension. Wellington Airport has a strong outlook and Steven Fitzgerald will continue with the management of the airport’s ongoing developments.
Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast says Simon has made a huge contribution, not just at the Airport, but to Wellington.
"Simon immersed himself in our city, engaged with the community and made a significant contribution to the Capital during his time here. He worked with all the region's leaders to progress many opportunities, including long haul services out of Wellington. He has been involved in the Wellington Regional Strategy process and was Vice President of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. He has been an absolute asset to the Wellington region and we wish him well for the future."
This arrangement demonstrates the benefits of the Infratil group having a number of strong executives on whom it can draw. Infratil and Wellington City Council are committed to ensuring a continuation of high standards of service, facilities, investment and community engagement at Wellington Airport.
ENDS
Wellington Airport
Wild at Heart
Wellington Airport provides a world class airport for visitors, the Wellington region and New Zealand. It's international terminal, The Rock, is ranked 4th best in the World. Being very close to the CBD saves 5.4 million travellers plenty of time and makes Wellington a more attractive place to visit. The Airport won the Wellington Gold Awards for Safety and is a major supporter of local events, attractions and community groups.
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