DEREK Provan is moving from Heathrow to succeed Amanda McMillan as managing director of Glasgow Airport, where he started his aviation career in 1998.

Mr Provan spent three years as managing director of Aberdeen International Airport before joining Heathrow in 2013. As well as taking the top job at Glasgow, he succeeds Ms McMillan as chief executive officer of Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports parent company AGS Airports.

In October, Ms McMillan announced plans to step down as managing director of Glasgow Airport to move with her family to Australia.

Glasgow-born Mr Provan has since October been interim chief operating officer of Heathrow, Europe’s largest airport. Heathrow Airport yesterday announced that it had appointed Chris Garton as its chief operating officer, adding that he would take up the post in the spring.

It noted that, until early last year, Mr Garton was in the “equivalent role” at Dubai Airport, “where he played a key role in growing the annual number of passengers served from 30 million to over 86 million”. Mr Garton is currently director of asset management at Associated British Ports.

AGS Airports is a 50-50 partnership between Spanish infrastructure operator Ferrovial and Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets of Australia.

Ferrovial is the biggest single shareholder in Heathrow, with a 25 per cent stake.

Mr Provan will take up his posts at Glasgow Airport and AGS in April.

When he was at Glasgow Airport previously, Mr Provan held roles including airfield operations manager, head of security and terminal operations, and customer services director.

Mr Provan said: “Very few people are afforded the opportunity to lead the airport at which they started their career. Glasgow has enjoyed remarkable success in recent years and starts 2018 having recorded its busiest year on record.”

Sir Peter Mason, chairman of AGS Airports, said: “Given Derek’s extensive experience and knowledge, not just of the AGS group of

airports but the aviation industry

as a whole, he was the natural choice of the board. It is great to have someone of Derek’s pedigree

joining the group, and I am looking forward to working with him

as we ensure our airports

continue to deliver for the communities they serve.”