He’s a former chief government of SA Mind & Co and the announcement comes six months after the departure of the earlier boss
Cardiff Airport has appointed a brand new chief government. Jon Bridge, whose earlier roles embody being chief government of brewing and hospitality firm SA Mind & Co, will take up his new place on the helm of the Welsh Authorities-owned airport subsequent month.
The position has been held in an interim capability by board member Andy Jones – a former chief government of the Port of Milford Haven – following the departure of former chief government Spencer Birns again in March.
No motive for his exit from what was a £131,000 remunerated position was given. For our free day by day briefing on the most important points dealing with the nation, signal as much as the Wales Issues e-newsletter right here
Mr Bridge mentioned “I’m honoured to be becoming a member of Cardiff Airport at such a pivotal time. The nationwide airport of Wales is an important asset for our nation, offering financial advantages, jobs and ensures international connectivity.
“We’re striving to be the primary selection for airline passengers and the centre of Wales’ aviation associated trade.
“I’ll be working laborious with our group and companions to proceed the method of diversifying the enterprise, driving progress, creating our folks and making certain we proceed to supply a superb expertise for our prospects.”
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A authorized problem, on the grounds of anti-competitive state assist, has been lodged by rival Bristol Airport over plans by the Welsh Authorities to supply, over a ten yr interval, £200m in grant funding to the loss-making airport.
The Cardiff Bay administration mentioned the funding was designed to assist plenty of actions together with securing new routes to get passengers as much as two million a yr by 2035, and rising non terminal associated incomes, equivalent to from plane upkeep restore and overhaul.
In its final monetary yr the airport posted an Ebitda (earnings earlier than curiosity, tax, depreciation and amortisation), of £5.8m.
Nevertheless, this was earlier than the discharge of a Welsh Authorities grant of £10.1m as a part of the airport’s 5 yr post-Covid restoration plan.
With grant, debt and fairness assist, and the £52m paid to accumulate it from Spanish group Abertis in 2013, the Welsh Authorities has invested round £180m within the airport.
Newest figures from the Civil Aviation Authority for the yr to the tip of July, 2025, reveals the airport dealt with 907,000 passengers, up from 872,000 a yr earlier.
The airport remains to be under its pre-pandemic annual passenger variety of 1.6 million. As a part of its pandemic restoration plan it has forecast to get again to that determine by 2026, however that’s now unlikely to be achieved. Some 20% of passengers at Bristol Airport are drawn from Wales (some two million).
The airport, which is run on industrial grounds by an organization at arm’s size from the Welsh Authorities, at present instantly employs 2,400, whereas on the close by St Athan airfield and enterprise park, which it manages, an extra 1,600 are employed.
The airport has a £200m annual affect on the Welsh economic system by the gross worth added (GVA) financial measure.
