Cardiff Airport has announced that Debra Barber has become the Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer.
Ms Barber has been in the role since September 2014 and has been instrumental in many of the Cardiff Airport’s positive news over the past 2 years including Flybe’s new base and a growth in passenger numbers.
Her career started with the Royal Air Force (RAF) as an air traffic controller eventually retiring from the RAF as Group Captain and Air Traffic Management Force Commander.
Announcing the post Cardiff Airport Chairman Roger Lewis said “I am delighted to announce Debra’s role to lead the team during the next stage of the Airport’s development. Debra’s significant aviation experience, coupled with hands on leadership during the past 15 months puts her in an ideal position for this role.
“We aim to develop a sustainable Airport for Wales, recognising the vital role it plays in the Welsh economy as the national Airport. The life blood of the Airport remains passenger numbers and we are focused on the challenging task of winning new airlines and services to provide more choice of routes for travel to and from Wales.”
Debra Barber added “I am extremely pleased to continue leading the Airport during this exciting stage. We have achieved a great amount already but recognise there is still much work to be done to ensure we have an Airport we can all be proud of.
“We are focussed on ensuring Cardiff is the Airport of choice for Wales, whether for Welsh travellers or those visiting Wales for business or pleasure. As we progress towards 2016 we look forward to further improvements to the Airport experience for customers plus a continued growth in passenger numbers.”
During her interim tenure Ms Barber has guided the airport through major events such as the NATO summit and the 2015 Rugby World Cup which was co-hosted by Wales. The passenger numbers have also seen just over 10% growth in 2015.