The Board of Heathrow Airport has confirmed the appointment of Thomas Woldbye, currently head of Copenhagen Airport, as John Holland-Kaye’s replacement.
Having served as CEO of Copenhagen Airport since 2011, Woldbye brings with him a wealth of experience and a proven track record as a CEO of a major airport championing passenger service, sustainability and growth. According to Heathrow, Woldbye’s experience means that he is ideally placed to oversee the airport’s future strategy following a recent £11bn private investment programme.
During his tenure at Copenhagen Airport, Woldbye put customers and colleagues at the heart of the airport's transformation. His ability to navigate complex stakeholder relationships has been a key factor in his success. He forged strong links with the Danish Government, which is a part owner of Copenhagen Airport, and fostered partnerships with airlines to drive investment and development, including significant recent expansions in terminal capacity at the airport.
Prior to his role at Copenhagen Airport, Woldbye spent 27 years at Møller-Mærsk, leading the global shipping and ferry divisions, working in several different countries and delivering significant success in complex operating environments while building up expertise in process efficiency.
Commenting on the appointment, Heathrow chairman Lord Paul Deighton said: “After an extensive and rigorous review of candidates, the Heathrow Board is delighted to appoint Thomas Woldbye as the next Heathrow CEO. Leading Britain’s hub airport is one of the most important jobs in global aviation and the vacancy attracted the best calibre talent from across the world. Thomas’s achievements at Copenhagen not only mirror Heathrow’s long-term strategy, but his track record in successfully running a major airport and working closely with stakeholders to secure consensus and deliver positive results stood out in the selection process.
“The Board would like to pay tribute to John. He set a strong example in his unyielding dedication to his colleagues and will leave behind a legacy of having transformed Heathrow into a premier global hub, developed the plan for Heathrow expansion that secured overwhelming Parliamentary approval, navigated the business through the extremely challenging times during the Covid-19 pandemic, overcame the unprecedented challenges of the post-pandemic recovery in demand and led the industry towards a net zero future.”
John Holland-Kaye will remain in post until Thomas Woldbye officially starts later in the year.
Image: London Heathrow Airport
