The Board of daa has appointed Dalton Philips as the company’s new Chief Executive. He will take up the role on 2nd October 2017, succeeding Kevin Toland, whose departure was announced in May.
Dublin Airport was the fastest growing major European airport in 2016 when it handled nearly 28 million passengers, while numbers at Cork Airport increased by 8% to 2.2 million. daa has enjoyed strong growth by delivering great service and value for airlines, passengers and its business partners.
Dalton Philips, who was born in Dublin, has held a number of senior leadership roles in retail and related industries, working in 14 countries for companies including Walmart, Loblaw (Canada’s leading retailer) and Morrisons. His roles included Chief Executive of Brown Thomas Group, Chief Operating Officer of Canadian retailer Loblaw Companies, and Chief Executive of Wm Morrison plc. Among other roles, he is also a Senior Advisor to The Boston Consulting Group, the global management consultancy.
Pádraig Ó Ríordáin, daa Chairman, said: “We are delighted that Dalton is joining us. He combines extensive international experience with deep strategic insight and an outstanding track record of operational delivery. His leadership will be critical to daa as we address the challenges of Brexit and the delivery of the North Runway at Dublin Airport, while maintaining growth of our airports and the international businesses. Like Kevin before him, I know Dalton is going to make a real difference.”
Dalton Philips said: “daa plays an essential role within the Irish economy, with Dublin and Cork airports alone generating or facilitating more than 100,000 jobs in the Irish economy and contributing the equivalent of 4.4% of GDP. I am delighted to take up this role after a long career abroad and am looking forward to working with daa’s strong and ambitious team as well as all the key stakeholders. Our focus will continue to be on providing the best customer experience for the millions of passengers who travel through our airports every year.”
Dalton has been appointed for a seven-year term. Kevin Toland will leave the business on 7th September 2017.
