Heathrow managing director quits

Mark Bullock, London Heathrow Airport’s managing director, has resigned and is believed to be the latest executive casualty of the debacle surrounding the botched opening of the airport’s fifth terminal. According to a press release issued by BAA, Heathrow’s operator, Bullock had simply “chosen to leave,” even though he was offered a promotion less than a month ago. Yet it has been known that Colin Matthews, BAA’s new chief executive charged specifically with reforming the airport operator, announced major changes at the managerial level, including the elimination of a number of top executive positions. Bullock, however, had indeed been promoted; Matthews invited him to sit on the firm’s executive board. BAA’s chief, however, wanted to apply a more direct, “hands-on” managerial strategy when it came to Heathrow.

Bullock told journalists that considering how much restructuring BAA’s management is currently undergoing, this may have been the best time for him to leave. “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,” Bullock observed.

A number of other top executives have also resigned or have had to leave their posts following the chaos during the first week of operations at Heathrow Terminal 5. Heathrow’s head of logistics, Gareth Kirkwood, left earlier this month, as did David Noyes, the chief of personnel.

www.heathrowairport.com