Former Concorde boss jets in to take charge of airport

CONCORDE'S former general manager is to take control of Edinburgh Airport after its managing director stepped down to take a new post in Australia.

Kevin Brown is quitting Edinburgh Airport to take up a "once-in-a-lifetime" job offer after a year in the Capital.

He is the fourth managing director in as many years to leave the role.

His successor is Jim O'Sullivan, currently airport operator BAA's technical standards and assurance director, who will start work on September 1. Mr O'Sullivan spent 14 years at British Airways, including time as chief project engineer for the Boeing 777, as general manager of Concorde and ultimately as technical and quality director.

More recently he has had operational and executive roles at National Grid, Welsh Water and EON.

He said: "Kevin has done a fantastic job at Edinburgh. It has bucked the general trend in UK aviation by growing and it is currently the best airport in Europe for its size.

"I hope that I can continue its development and assist the team in realising the growth strategy they have created and giving Edinburgh and Scotland a diverse choice of routes and a world-class facility."

Mr Brown is moving to Australia to become chief executive of Cairns-based North Queensland Airport Group, where he will be responsible for two airports, Cairns and Mackay.

He denied that uncertainty over BAA's impending forced sale of either Glasgow or Edinburgh was a factor in his departure.

He joined BAA in 2002 and was managing director of both Aberdeen and Southampton airports before moving to Edinburgh. During his time at Edinburgh he oversaw the introduction of the controversial 1 "kiss-and-fly" charge for drivers and helped the airport return to passenger growth.

Twenty-five new routes have also been added in the last year.

Mr Brown said: "Only a once-in-a-lifetime offer could take me away from Edinburgh Airport and this is it. Working in Australia has been a life-long dream of mine and it's made extra special by the fact that I have family in Cairns."

BAA chief executive Colin Matthews said: "Kevin Brown leaves a healthy airport that is performing well in difficult circumstances."