London Heathrow”s managing director Mark Bullock has ”chosen to leave” his job at BAA because of the ongoing management changes, said a statement from the operator today (13 May).
The company”s chief executive officer Stephen Nelson stepped down just weeks before the chaotic Terminal 5 opening, and was replaced by Colin Matthews who announced a management shake-up to focus more directly on improving Heathrow operations.
Bullock ” who joined BAA in 2004 - said: ”The managing director role at the airport will change substantially under the new structure being introduced by Colin Matthews and, while I understand and support those important changes and the renewed focus on day-to-day operations, the time is clearly right for me to move on and take on new challenges.
”Leading the team at Heathrow Airport is an intense and demanding role, but one I have enjoyed very much.”
Matthews said: "Mark Bullock has made a significant contribution to BAA and to Heathrow Airport in particular and has led the airport through a particularly challenging period. I am grateful for his efforts.”
He will be replaced by the current chief operating officer at London Underground Mike Brown, who will join BAA in September.
Matthews added: ”I now look forward to working with Mike Brown and his team as we continue driving passenger service standards across the airport and focus on the important work to transform the facilities we provide for passengers and airlines.”
When the new BAA CEO announced the shake-up in April ” which will be effective from 1 June ” he said his key priority was to ”make Heathrow work effectively” and that the T5 problems had only ”reinforced” that view.
Grilled by a House of Commons Transport Committee last week regarding the shambolic opening, MPs were distinctly unimpressed by Matthews” admittance that he was unaware the terminal was not ready before its opening, calling it an ”extraordinary state of affairs” for the BAA chief to say he did not know whether discussions about postponing the move had taken place.