Queenstown airport's chief executive has resigned to take on Wellington Airport's top job - having led the company through "outstanding growth" and the Auckland Airport share-sale debacle.
Steve Sanderson, who has been Queenstown Airport Corporation (QAC) chief executive since May 2007, announced his resignation yesterday. He will stay on until late January.
"It's a great opportunity, and when these positions come along you have to weigh it up," Mr Sanderson said.
"It's a much bigger role working for Wellington Airport - they have five million passengers at the moment - so it's good for my career and I'm looking forward to working in Wellington. There's a lot of exciting things happening up there."
QAC chairman Murray Valentine said it was "naturally disappointing" to receive Mr Sanderson's resignation.
"Steve has led the company through a period of outstanding growth, which has seen the airport become a major route for direct flights from Australia and increased airline frequency on domestic routes."
Last year Mr Sanderson dealt with fall-out from the QAC board's secret sale of shares to Auckland Airport.
The $27.7 million deal, in which the QAC created and sold a 24.99% new shareholding to Auckland Airport, started a nine-month legal saga, the after-effects of which are still unfolding with planned dividend returns to the QLDC.
