Airports Council International (ACI) announced the appointment of Angela Gittens as Director General of ACI World, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.  With twenty years of aviation experience, Gittens has extensive knowledge of airport business management, policy issues and contractual frameworks.  She will assume her new role at the end of April 2008.

ACI Chairman James Cherry says, “Angela Gittens is a well-known leader in the airport sector whose strong leadership skills will enable her to speak out effectively on behalf of the airports community.  With over 1600 ACI member airports to represent worldwide, it will be a challenging role.  The ACI Board members are confident that she will be an outstanding spokesperson and advocate for airport interests, as she has demonstrated throughout her career.”

Gittens currently serves as Vice-President, Airport Business Services for HNTB Corporation, a leading firm in transportation infrastructure services. She leads the firm’s practice in business and strategic planning, revenue enhancement, concessions planning and programme implementation, financial analysis and commercial development.

Gittens has held top executive positions at three of the largest US airport systems. During her service as Director of the Miami-Dade County Aviation Department, Miami International Airport attained international recognition for its environmental achievements with ISO 14001 certification, the first airport in the US to do so.  Her responsibilities included leadership of a multi-billion dollar capital improvement programme and the development and operation of five smaller airports.

Prior to that, as Vice-President of TBI Airport Management, she managed operations contracts at several airports in the US and Canada. She also directed the transition to private ownership of the 6 million passenger airport in Luton, England, negotiating a new airport-airline relationship and gaining wide experience with alternative rates and charges models and new revenue enhancement initiatives.

As General Manager of Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport she led the airport’s preparations for the 1996 Olympics and during her tenure the airport became the busiest airport worldwide.

As Deputy Director of the San Francisco Airports Commission, she focussed on developing new concessions at the airport to enhance financial returns and customer satisfaction. 

Gittens has served on numerous aviation industry boards and committees including the FAA’s Management Advisory Committee, the Executive Committee of the Transportation Research Board and the Board of Directors of JetBlue Airways.

Cherry says, “On behalf of the ACI World Governing Board, I wish to express our great thanks to the current Director General Robert J Aaronson who will be retiring after a period of transition.  In carrying out this demanding role for the past six years, he has strengthened ACI’s voice in the international arena, championing our positions and strengthening the airports’ role at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), with international aviation bodies and with our airline and air traffic control partners.  He leaves a solid legacy of positive achievements for his successor in the areas of safety, security, environment and customer service, and he has been a leader in developing airport staff professionalism and training.”

“I have great confidence that Angela will continue to provide strategic vision and leadership for the organization, implementing policies and programmes approved by the Board and the ACI General Assembly, and working closely with the heads of each of the five ACI regional offices to build consensus on achieving a healthy global airport system.”