Shane O’Hare will replace Glen Sowry, who is leaving at the end of June.
New Queenstown Airport CEO Shane O'Hare.
An Australian with a strong background in international tourism and aviation has been appointed as the new CEO of Queenstown Airport.
Shane O’Hare, who is currently CEO of Launceston Airport in Tasmania, will take over from departing CEO Glen Sowry in mid-September.
Sowry is leaving at the end of June, so the airport’s chief operating officer, Todd Grace, will fill in as interim CEO.
O’Hare has held a range of senior executive positions in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, the USA, and Middle East, including appointments at Melbourne Airport, Qantas Airways, Etihad Airways, Royal Jet Group, and Star Alliance.
He founded a regional airline, Seair Pacific Airlines, in Queensland, and has also served on the boards of Tourism Tasmania and Visit Northern Tasmania. He is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and holds an MBA from Bond University.
In a statement, Queenstown Airport’s board said O’Hare had led Launceston Airport through the recovery from the global pandemic and overseen key infrastructure delivery and customer experience projects, as well as record passenger numbers and network expansion. He also implemented a strategy to enhance non-aeronautical revenue.
He was joining Queenstown Airport as it was undertaking the most significant capital delivery programme in its 90-year history.
Queenstown Airport.
"Shane has been responsible for multi-million dollar budgets and large-scale infrastructure projects, and has demonstrated a strong commitment to authentic community engagement. He comes to Queenstown Airport with a reputation for leadership and delivery in complex stakeholder environments," said chair Simon Flood.
The calibre of applicants from New Zealand and overseas was "extremely high", said Flood. “The board is very pleased to have appointed such a well-qualified business leader after a robust recruitment process. Shane brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record in the aviation and tourism industries, and is a people-focused leader.”
O’Hare has family connections in the Southern Lakes, which he described in a statement as one of the most spectacular regions in the world.
“Queenstown Airport is a critical social and economic infrastructure asset for the region, and the country. The airport is entering an exciting phase, and I am very pleased to be joining the team, and I look forward to working with the board, executive, and wider team to deliver for shareholders and the community,” he said.
The airport is majority owned by the Queenstown Lakes District Council, with Auckland International Airport Limited also holding a 24.9% stake.
The organisation also manages Wānaka Airport and the Glenorchy airfield on behalf of the council.
This is supplied content and not commissioned or paid for by NBR.
