Stewart Wingate to succeed Baroness Margaret Ford as chair of London Gatwick
- Stewart Wingate will become chair of London Gatwick on 1 October 2026 following the retirement of Baroness Ford who has been chair since November 2023
London Gatwick has today announced that Stewart Wingate will succeed Baroness Margaret Ford as chair of the board on 1 October 2026 following her retirement. Baroness Ford has been chair since November 2023. Stewart was appointed Managing Director, UK Airports for VINCI Airports and GIP in September 2025 following a 15-year tenure as Chief Executive of London Gatwick and is a member of the London Gatwick, Edinburgh Airport and Belfast International Airport boards.
Stewart Wingate, Managing Director, UK Airports said: “This is an exciting time for London Gatwick. I am delighted to be taking on this new role as the focus moves from planning to detailed design work and delivery on the Northern Runway programme, which forms a key part of the airport’s ambitious plans to unlock additional capacity, jobs and even greater economic benefits for the region. At the same time, the sector faces a number of significant geo-political and economic pressures which are impacting passenger numbers and significantly increasing costs. I am also looking forward to working closely with the board on plans to address some of the most critical issues, building on Baroness Ford’s legacy of strong and successful engagement with key national and local stakeholders.”
Baroness Ford, outgoing chair, London Gatwick said: “It has been a pleasure to have partnered with shareholders and the London Gatwick management team through such a pivotal phase in the airport’s history. The airport’s vision “to be the airport for everyone, whatever your journey” is at the heart of the operation, and I am incredibly proud of what the teams have achieved to deliver an efficient, welcoming and accessible experience for passengers. It’s also been fantastic to see the Northern Runway programme given the green light following a very rigorous planning and legal process.”
Nicolas Notebaert, CEO, VINCI Concessions and President of VINCI Airports and Michael McGhee, Deputy Chairman, Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) said: “Baroness Ford’s experience in business, infrastructure, and highly regulated sectors has been extremely beneficial to the board. We are grateful for her outstanding contribution, particularly during the final approval stages of the Northern Runway programme, and for the important relationships she has fostered over the past three years. We are also very pleased that Stewart has agreed to chair the board at London Gatwick. Thanks to Stewart’s in-depth knowledge of the airport and the broader UK and Global operating environment, he is well-placed to help us deliver on the significant long-term growth and commercial opportunities that lie ahead.”
With around 43m annual passengers, London Gatwick is the UK’s second largest and one of Europe’s top airports. It is a vital piece of national infrastructure that drives both the national and regional economies by generating £5.5bn GVA and supporting over 76,000 jobs (2023). More than 60 airlines fly from the airport to over 160 short-haul and more than 50 long-haul destinations. With a declared maximum capacity of 57 movements an hour, London Gatwick is the most efficient single runway airport in the world.
The airport is located 28 miles south of the UK capital and is extremely well-connected, with more than a quarter of England’s population (15m people) – including all of London – less than one hour away by road or rail. A six-year, £2bn sustainable growth programme includes an ambitious plan to be a net zero airport by 2030 and to increase capacity by bringing the airport’s existing Northern Runway into routine use, alongside its Main Runway. VINCI Airports owns a 50.01% stake in the airport, with Global Infrastructure Partners managing the remaining 49.99%.
VINCI Airports, as the leading private airport operator in the world, manages the development and operation of more than 70 airports located in 14 countries. VINCI Airports draws on its expertise as a comprehensive integrator to develop, finance, build and operate airports, leveraging its investment capability and know-how to optimise operational performance and modernise infrastructure while bringing about their environmental transition. In 2016, VINCI Airports became the first airport operator to commit to an international environmental strategy, setting itself the aim of reaching zero net emissions (scope 1 and 2) across the network by 2050 while supporting the territories’ local climate transition.
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Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a part of BlackRock, is a leading infrastructure investor that specialises in investing in, owning and operating some of the largest and most complex assets across the energy, transport, digital infrastructure and water and waste management sectors. With energy pragmatism central to our investment thesis, we are well positioned to support the global energy transition.
GIP’s scaled platform has over $170bn in assets under management. We believe that our focus on real infrastructure assets, combined with our deep proprietary origination network and comprehensive operational expertise, enables us to be responsible stewards of our clients’ capital and to create positive economic impact for communities. For more information, visit www.global-infra.com.
