Birmingham Airport - General Thread

[58terminus]

Will the new CEO be likely to bring his or her own team of staff to BHX and replace those in the current hierarchy?

Its an airport not a football club

 

[richard winterbourn]

With a nod to the partiality of the late and great 'Jonners' and, in keeping with what seems like a tradition at Birmingham Airport, it's a pity Forums4Airport members can't club together and send over a splendid farewell cake to PK with our grateful thanks. If someone can organise it i would readily contribute.

 

[Aceshigh]

I don't get the PK move.

He appeared to have the airport in his blood and with all due respect to his involvement in "other regional bodies" they are peripheral and in my view, " are as nothing to the BHX CEO Job".

If he was stepping down due ill health or perhaps going as CEO to another even larger company I could understand this move.

Very odd.

 

[BHXsupporter]

Extremely well done Paul Kehoe! In a strange way, as long as they get the right person to replace him then the airport's position will I believe be strengthened further with PK in the Midlands business driving seat. He will do nothing to worsen BHX's future and everything to engage further 'stakeholders' to use BHX, commit business expansion because of BHX and thus help market BHX through their staff and connections. It would be nice for the moderators to draft a letter from the forum and then perhaps ask members to add their names to the virtual party cake. The population of the Midlands probably don't realize what a positive effect he has had. Well done PK once more.

 

[IanFarquharson]

PK always said he would only be at BHX for 5 years, he has steady the ship cut costs, delivered lots of the airlines and infrastructure developments and most importantly in his eyes got BA back !
His stepping down was strategically annonced on a Friday afternoon after a General Election, I would imaging this has been in the planning for 6-12 months at least.
He can leave on a high - no question.
He is very keen on the wider West Midlands area and I am sure any new role(s) will be to drive the regional as a whole forward.
Now who will repace him, work with the new shareholders and deliver the masterplan - that is the question.

 

[User001]

I wonder if family time is also a consideration.

Must really eat into his personal time having to commute from Surrey to Birmingham every day for a 9-5 job.

 

[Ianbutty]

BHX has in recent years been through a transformation only ever seen when it moved terminals from Elmdon to the current site. PK has overseen this and delivered on his promises. It is a pity he is going but tremendous that he will remain a champion for the region.

The staff, airlines and users of BHX owe him a debt of gratitude. He may not have got it right all the time, but on the whole and when you consider where we are now, his legacy is a great one.

Now we need a new CEO of equal passion and commitment. We need if necessary look abroad, but they must also be astute enough to play the political game, stay one step ahead of rivals, work with Andrew Street, David Higgins and the government, but have the gravitas to get pass reluctant local politicians an ambitious terminal expansion programme. Plus they must promote and promote and promote again the airport and it's services.

Good luck PK. I thank him for all he has done and for remaining a great champion for our wonderful region and great city.

 

[Ray Finkle]

It would be nice for the moderators to draft a letter from the forum

It's a great idea and I am happy to try and put something together.

There are people on here who have a much better way with words than me so if someone else wants to do it I will happily forward it to him on behalf of the forum?

If not I will have a bash

 

[richard winterbourn]

Ray, I am sure there are many who would wish to contribute to such a tribute either by name or comment, myself included. But i think it would need someone such as yourself to act as the reference point. Is there any means within Forums4Airports that posters can send you a comment/contribution privately ie without it first being posted openly. In that way you can gauge views and weld a fitting tribute on behalf of us all.

 

[Ray Finkle]

I think the best course of action would be for anybody wishing to contribute to send me a pm through this forum. To do that hover over your 'Inbox' at the top, then click on 'Start a New Conversation'. Start typing my username into the 'participants' box and it will come up, add a heading and type away.

Any contributions are welcome large or small. I'm happy for a whole chapter and verse, a paragraph, a line or simply just adding a name. If people don't want to use their full name then first name is fine, or even a nickname (so long as it's clean).

Anything sent to me will be added to the letter but will not be posted on the public forum. With peoples consent I can share the final draft by pm conversation between those who have contributed, if anybody prefers NOT to have their contribution shared between members I will of course leave it out but please make this clear when messaging me.

Shall we set a deadline for two weeks from today, 24th June? That gives people who may only log on occasionally time to get something in and tweaks to be made should anybody wish.

 

[Frankie4]

Do you think 2018 will still be a even better year like Paul had said back on New Years Day( I can't find the tweet now) I was always wondering what he meant (a huge airline or expanding the airport etc)

 

[IanFarquharson]

I wonder if family time is also a consideration.

Must really eat into his personal time having to commute from Surrey to Birmingham every day for a 9-5 job.

PK lives close to BHX during the week and has lots of other Midlands committments apart from CEO of BHX, he will continue with these other committments after he laeves BHX, so wont be back in Surrey much !

 

[BHXsupporter]

I wonder if family time is also a consideration.

Must really eat into his personal time having to commute from Surrey to Birmingham every day for a 9-5 job.

I would doubt if it were ever 9-5!

 

[Ray Finkle]

Do you think 2018 will still be a even better year like Paul had said back on New Years Day( I can't find the tweet now) I was always wondering what he meant (a huge airline or expanding the airport etc)

Is this one of Mr K's cheeky hints?

From his Twitter

Paul Kehoe‏ @Paul_Kehoe

It was my pleasure to serve. I do hope that 2018 is great. Depends on many things esp UK economy. With a fair wind we might just excel.

 

[58terminus]

Depends on many things esp UK economy. With a fair wind we might just excel.

Could it be the royal we?

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I've been catching up with the posts since I've been away and have come across the news about PK leaving BHX. Is there any word of his successor?

He was briefly CEO at BRS before joining BHX (sounds like a football manager transfer). He was replaced at BRS by Robert Sinclair, a New Zealander who is a qualified lawyer and accountant who held a senior position at Auckland Airport before coming to the West Country airport. He piloted BRS very successfully through the debilitating recession where that airport was affected later and to a lesser degree than many and began its recovery earlier than most. It's the only top 10 UK airport to see passenger growth every year since (and including) 2010.

Like PK in the West Midlands RS is involved with regional and business bodies in the West Country. He would be a good option for BHX I am sure.

 

[Jerry]

He was replaced at BRS by Robert Sinclair, a New Zealander who is a qualified lawyer and accountant who held a senior position at Auckland Airport

His former role at Auckland may also help BHX attract a Chinese or far eastern carrier to operate to BHX. Also if they were considering launching another LAX service to the UK then he would no doubt have contacts with Air New Zealand as well.

 

[IanFarquharson]

Walked past the Manchester shop in Brum twice today, it is the busy Great Western Arcade, balloons and flags everywhere. At 13.00 & 13.30 there was not one person in the shop just a girls on her phone looking board stiff !

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Hi there ray and all, now that Mr Paul Kehoe has now departed Birmingham Airport as of 12th June this month. The next chief Executive Officer that takes over is someone like Robert Sinclair whos young , has the enthusiasm and energy, like Mr Robert Sinclair at Bristol, someone who's a good networker, with damm good contacts in the field, who can persuade and negotiate with any big, medium or small airline to come and do business at Birmingham, rather than go to Manchester, Gatwick or Heathrow. The first time the new boss has got to do is review those landing fees, because I think that these fees will deter new airlines and growth coming to Birmingham. If Birminghams new boss were to implement Manchester Airports successful formula there growth and expansion would make business simpler...Andyc

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Hi there ray and all, now that Mr Paul Kehoe has now departed Birmingham Airport as of 12th June this month. The next chief Executive Officer that takes over is someone like Robert Sinclair whos young , has the enthusiasm and energy, like Mr Robert Sinclair at Bristol, someone who's a good networker, with damm good contacts in the field, who can persuade and negotiate with any big, medium or small airline to come and do business at Birmingham, rather than go to Manchester, Gatwick or Heathrow. The first time the new boss has got to do is review those landing fees, because I think that these fees will deter new airlines and growth coming to Birmingham. Andyc

Hi Andrew

It's the 12th July, not the 12th June when Mr Kehoe steps down.
Whilst Robert Sinclair's achievements looks very impressive, as TheLocalYokel states -

Like PK in the West Midlands RS is involved with regional and business bodies in the West Country. He would be a good option for BHX I am sure.

Mr Sinclair has other interests within the West Country outside of Bristol Airport and this may be a factor in his future plans. Having said that, it's impossible to look into the mind of anyone and predict their decisions.

As for your comment regarding landing fees at BHX, I believe that this was addressed some time back and that BHX are now very competitive. Each airline will have their own agreement with BHX. These are totally confidential between the airline and BHX and will never be made public.

There have been many plusses and a few minuses over the last couple of years, but I believe that BHX is in a strong position and will continue to grow in the future.

Regards

Kevin