Ownership

Docklands Aviation Group Limited is the UK parent company for the operations of London City Airport. London City Airport is owned by two infrastructure funds as follows;

•    Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP): 75%
•    Highstar Capital (Highstar): 25%

Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) is an independent US $5.6 billion fund that invests worldwide in infrastructure assets. GIP is backed by Credit Suisse and GE. Investors in GIP also comprise institutional investors in North America, Europe, Middle East and Asia, such as pension funds, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, financial institutions and high net worth individuals.

Highstar Capital is a private equity investment partnership formed to make controlling or influential minority investments in infrastructure related assets and businesses.  In particular, Highstar will target investments in assets and businesses that provide essential products and services in the energy, transportation, waste management and water sectors.  Highstar Capital currently manages over $4.5 billion of capital commitments from leading institutional investors globally, including through its third generation private equity fund, Highstar Capital III.

Board of Directors

Roy Griffins, Chairman

Roy Griffins has been Chairman of Docklands Aviation Group Limited since 1 January 2007.

Previously Roy had a thirty-year career in the British civil and diplomatic service, mostly in international, transport and environment posts. He served as the UKs Director of Railways from 1996 to 1999 and Director-General of Civil Aviation from 1999 to 2004. Additionally he was Director General of the Airports Council International in Brussels.

Richard E. Gooding OBE, Chief Executive
 
Richard Gooding has been Chief Executive of London City Airport since 1996 and has managed and developed this niche facility into the UK’s leading business airport.

Richard joined London City Airport from London Luton Airport where he spent five years as Chief Executive. Prior to this Richard was Managing Director of Ogden Allied Aviation Services for five years, Operations Director at Manchester Airport having previously spent the early part of his career with British Airways working both in the UK and throughout the world.

Richard is past Chairman and current Board Member of the Airport Operators Association, President of the Newham Chamber of Commerce, and a Member of the London Skills and Employment Board. He is also involved in the voluntary sector as Chair of Newham Homes, a Non Executive Director of the Royal Docks Trust, Leaside Regeneration, and a Board Member of East London Business Alliance.

David Thomson, Chief Finance Officer and Company Secretary

David Thomson has responsibility for financial and corporate management and reporting statutory compliance matters and business and tax planning of Docklands Aviation Group Limited.  David is also Chairman of the Royal Docks Management Authority (RoDMA).  He joined London City Airport in 1989 and before that served as company accountant at L. Williamson (Shetland) Ltd (1981-1983), and as Commercial Director (1983-1989); and senior auditor at Deloitte Haskins & Sells (1978-1980) and Charles Burrows & Co (1975-1978).

Scott Hatton, GIP representative

Scott joined GIP in July 2008 as the Chief Financial Officer – Portfolio Operations. Prior to GIP, Scott had spent 14 years with General Electric (GE) in 5 separate operating divisions, including Transportation, Aircraft and Plastics.  Critical GE leadership roles included a 2-year overseas assignment as CFO of Asia/Pacific for the Transportation division and a financial integration leader for a $12 billion integration effort in the Plastics division. After leaving GE in 2002, Scott held two senior financial leadership positions within Honeywell as CFO of their $4B global transportation operating division and their $10B global Automation & Control operating division before assuming the top financial officer position of Sypris Solutions, a publicly-held technology and industrial solutions provider.

Raj Rao, GIP representative

Raj Rao is a Principal at GIP and is based in London.  Prior to joining GIP, Raj was a Director in the Mergers and Acquisition team within the Investment Banking Division of Credit Suisse based in London. Raj was responsible for a number of M&A transactions in the Utilities, Oil & Gas, Chemicals, Water and Waste sectors. Raj has extensive experience in complex M&A transactions including acquisition and project financing. Prior to joining Credit Suisse, Raj was a member of the project financing team at Barclays Capital in London. Prior to joining Barclays Capital, Raj worked as a Vice President at Kotak Securities (a then affiliate of Goldman Sachs), in Mumbai, India.

Mehrdad Noorani, GIP representative

Mehrdad is a partner of GIP based in London. Previously, he was Managing Director and Head of Airport Finance at GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS).  Prior to joining GE, Mr. Noorani was a Managing Director of Credit Suisse First Boston and a senior member of the firm’s Transportation and Logistics Group in London, which he joined in 1991.  

James Kowalishin, Highstar Capital representative

James joined Highstar Capital as a Senior Advisor in 2008 and became a Partner in 2009.  He is Co-Head of Investments & Asset Management and serves on Highstar Capital’s Investment Committee and Management Committee. Prior to joining Highstar, Mr. Kowalishin worked extensively with the Highstar Team as Managing Director of Banque AIG in London and was a director of Hambros in London

Aaron Gold, Highstar Capital representative

Aaron joined Highstar Capital in 2001 and has over 13 years experience in direct investments, investment banking and finance. Prior to joining Highstar, he was with Primedia Corporation.  He also worked at Patricof & Co. Capital Corp. and was in the Financial Buyers Group at Bear Stearns.

Other Senior Management

Darren Grover, Chief Operating Officer

Darren joined London City Airport to set up and manage the Jet Centre which saw a 400 per cent increase in movements in the first five years. He later transferred to the role of director, ramp services, where he was responsible for over 200 staff working at the heart of the airport's operations. In his role as COO Darren reports to the airport's chief executive and oversees the day-to-day running of the airport including terminal services, safety, aerodrome operations, engineering, projects, property, sales and jet centre.

Reports

Interim update - 6 months ended 30 June 2009