Well, the region's worst kept secret is finally released!
Durham Tees Valley Airport has a new Director—but that doesn’t mean its former boss has left!
That’s because Hugh Lang, who has been Managing Director for the past seven years—has now taken on the role of Group Airports Director for Peel Airports but will remain based at Durham Tees Valley, whilst reporting directly to Group Chief Executive, Mark Whitworth.
The new Durham Tees Valley Airport Director is local woman Kerry Quinn, for whom a career change from patients to passengers proved a winning move.
Born in Middlesbrough, Kerry gained a degree in English and History at Newcastle and then obtained post-graduate qualifications in Business Management and Human Resources. After experience with Marks and Spencer during her studies, she worked in the human resources field in the health service, firstly with Newcastle Hospitals and then the University Hospital of North Tees.
In 1999 she joined the then Teesside Airport as head of human resources and over recent years has taken on responsibility for other areas including terminal and airfield management. She became Director of Operations in 2005 and is now one of only a very few female Airport Directors in the country.
Says Kerry “I’m really delighted to have the chance of taking on this new role at a very exciting yet challenging period in Durham Tees Valley’s development. We have made dramatic moves forward over recent years since Peel Airports became our major shareholder and I am sure we can maintain the momentum in increasing our passenger numbers, improving our facilities and choice of routes—and developing the potential of our whole site through the development plans for the North Side business park and the recently-launched Skylink International Business Park on the south side.”
Meanwhile Hugh Lang will oversee the operation of all three airports in the Peel Group—Durham Tees Valley, John Lennon Airport in Liverpool and the Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield Airport—with each of the new Airport Directors reporting directly to him.
During his time as Managing Director at Durham Tees Valley Hugh has overseen many major changes, including bringing in Peel Airports as majority shareholder, major capital investments and rebranding the Airport under the Durham Tees Valley identity.
Comments Mr Lang “I welcome the opportunity to play a more significant Group role in the development of Peel Airports. Their commitment and enterprise has brought a breath of fresh air into the regional airport business—illustrated by the remarkable success of Liverpool John Lennon, the investment at Durham Tees Valley and the decision to grasp the potential for the development of an entire new airport at Robin Hood.”
Meanwhile another key figure in the Durham Tees Valley management team is taking on an appointment within the Peel Airports Group. Head of Finance Ed Heatley is to take on the same role at Group level but, like Hugh Lang, will remain based at Durham Tees Valley.
Born in Stockton, Ed Heatley began his career with Teesside training and Enterprise Council, working for Orange plc, Blacks Leisure Group and the NAAFI before joining the Airport in 2005.
Goodbye DTVA, it's been nice knowing you!!