Highlands And Islands Airports Hire Interim MD

Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) board has announced the appointment of Stewart Adams as interim managing director.

Adams has worked with airlines and airport operators and was previously chief executive at Prestwick Airport and Loganair.

This follows the announcement that HIAL’s managing director Inglis Lyon will be stepping down at the end of June 2023.

Adams will join HIAL on June 14, 2023.

HIAL is responsible for the management and operation of 11 Scottish regional airports: Barra, Benbecula, Campbeltown, Dundee, Inverness, Islay, Kirkwall, Stornoway, Sumburgh, Tiree and Wick John O’Groats.

It is a private limited company wholly owned by the Scottish Ministers.

HIAL board chair Lorna Jack said: “We are delighted to have secured someone of Stewart’s calibre and experience to help us remain focused on our strategic priorities and ensure regulatory compliance while we complete the process for a permanent successor.

“My announcement also signals Inglis’ last few weeks with HIAL, and on behalf of the board I would like to thank Inglis for his contribution over the last 18 years and wish him well as he prepares for the next chapter in his life.”

Adams said: “I am thrilled to be joining HIAL as Interim Managing Director. Having worked in the aviation industry for over 40 years, I know only too well the vital role that HIAL’s 11 airports play in Scotland’s transport network. The air connectivity and support their airports provide for lifeline and essential services are vital for local communities.

“I was born and still live in Aberdeen, so my roots are firmly in the north of Scotland. I look forward to working alongside the HIAL board, the senior management team and the dedicated team that form HIAL.”