London Gatwick Airport has announced the appointment of Pierre-Hugues Schmit as its new chief executive, effective from September 1. Schmit, currently the chief commercial and operational officer at VINCI Airports and a non-executive director on the London Gatwick board, will succeed Stewart Wingate, who is moving into a newly created role as managing director, UK Airports, for VINCI Airports and Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP).
Schmit brings significant experience to the role and expressed enthusiasm about leading the airport through its next phase of development. “London Gatwick plays a vital role in the UK, by providing seamless access to both global and domestic markets and delivering substantial trade and economic benefits in the South East and beyond,” he said. “I’m excited to be joining London Gatwick as Chief Executive to lead the airport through the next stage of its growth journey.”
Wingate, who has served as chief executive for over 15 years, reflected on his tenure, noting both the exciting developments and challenges during his leadership. “It’s been a privilege to lead the London Gatwick team through a number of very exciting projects such as the seven-year planning process to bring our Northern Runway into routine use and more challenging periods such as the Covid pandemic,” he said. “I am delighted to be handing over to Pierre-Hugues and look forward to continuing to be involved with London Gatwick and working with the teams from Edinburgh and Belfast in my new role.”
The leadership change comes as Gatwick pursues ambitious runway expansion plans. The UK government recently signaled its support for the £2.2bn project, issuing a “minded to approve” letter that would allow the airport to bring its northern runway into regular use. The northern runway is currently restricted to use during main runway closures, but the proposed plan involves relocating it further from the main runway to allow simultaneous operations.
If approved, the project could add 60,000 flights annually and significantly boost cargo capacity, increasing volumes from 61,000 tonnes in 2023 to a projected 161,500 tonnes by 2038.