Heathrow names former BT boss Philip Jansen chair

(Sharecast News) - Heathrow Airport has named corporate veteran Philip Jansen as its new chair, the west London transport hub confirmed on Thursday. Jansen, current chair of advertising giant WPP and the former chief executive of BT Group, will take over from Paul Deighton when he steps down later this month.

Heathrow said Jansen's "significant" experience of working with private investors, as well as leading businesses in highly regulated environments, made him "ideally placed to help prepare the airport for its next phase of modernisation and oversee ...future strategy".

Heathrow is currently seeking approval for a long-anticipated third runway as part of a multi-billion pound expansion project.

The scheme has long been controversial, with both environmental and local groups opposed. But chancellor Rachel Reeves has indicated the government will back Heathrow's plans, as part of her wider growth agenda.

Before joining BT, which he ran for five years from early 2019, 58-year-old Jansen was chief executive of global payments firm Worldpay and chief executive and later chair of Brakes Group. He has also held a number of senior roles at Sodexo Group.

Jansen said: "Heathrow is the UK's gateway to growth. I am delighted to be taking on the role [of] chair at this pivotal time for both the business and the country."

Deighton, who was made a life peer by Conservative prime minister David Cameron in 2012, was chair of Heathrow for nine years. He said it had been a "privilege" to take on the role.

The announcement coincided with Heathrow's latest traffic statistics. A total of 6.63m passengers used its terminals last month, a 2% rise and its busiest November on record.

In the year-to-date, terminal passenger numbers reached 84.35m, a 1% increase.

Heathrow also forecast its busiest ever December and Christmas Day.