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Former Queensland Airports Limited CEO Chris Mills has been appointed the new CEO of Sunshine Coast Airport.
Mills, who led the company that owns and operates Gold Coast, Townsville, Mount Isa and Longreach Airports from 2015 to 2022, will take over as head of Sunshine Coast Airport, as well as Coffs Harbour Airport in NSW, on 20 November.
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“I’m incredibly excited to be joining the team at this time with a number of significant development projects either being planned or underway and record-breaking passenger growth,” he said.
“As one of the fastest growing airports in Australia, Sunshine Coast Airport has a bright future and I’m looking forward to exploring how we can continue to drive growth and support the wider region.”
Dennis Chant, chair of Sunshine Coast Airport, welcomed Mills and said that acting CEO Gary Allen will stay involved with the business beyond November to ease the transition.
“Chris’ extensive experience in finance, tourism, leisure, aviation, property planning and development across the private and public sectors made him the perfect fit to lead the team at Sunshine Coast Airport as it embarks on an exciting journey,” said Chant.
“His leadership approach is to build high-performing teams that have improved airport experiences and driven significant capital investment with positive outcomes for shareholders, stakeholders and the community.
“I’d also like to thank our interim CEO Gary Allen who has been in the role since May 2023. Gary has worked with the Board and has been invaluable in helping us to guide and assist the business through this transitional period to set it up for future success.”
Former CEO Andrew Brodie left the role in May after helping guide the airport through the launch of Bonza, which chose the Sunshine Coast as its first base.
Chant at the time said Brodie played a “critical role” in attracting Bonza to the airport.
“The past four and a half years have been both challenging and successful for Sunshine Coast Airport, and Andrew was charged with firstly navigating the Airport through the pandemic and lockdowns, and then charting a recovery phase built around expanding direct routes and attracting new operators,” he said.
“The implementation of the Sunshine Coast Airport Master Plan 2040 began under Andrew’s leadership, and its continued roll-out of the project will be a major priority for the future, including the upgrading of the terminal, and the development of commercial opportunities in precincts within the airport.”
Brodie’s other accomplishments included launching a new runway in 2020 that allowed it to accommodate larger, widebody aircraft, and securing a long-term lease of Coffs Harbour Airport.
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