Senior hire to help stage recovery at Leeds Bradford Airport

Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) has appointed Alex Tong as its new chief financial officer to bolster its senior leadership team.

Tong joins from telecommunications provider KCOM, where he held a number of senior finance roles, most recently as CFO.

During his time at KCOM, he helped the business de-list and move into private equity ownership and navigate large capex and financing processes, including oversight of capex programs totalling more than £150m.

Prior to KCOM, he spent a decade with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

A chartered accountant, Tong will join the Board of Directors and work alongside the senior leadership team as the airport moves – within Government guidance – into the next phase of recovery from the pandemic.

He said: “As a native Yorkshireman, I’m proud to be serving my regional airport.

“The complexity of an aviation business, coupled with the challenges of navigating the impact of the pandemic, make this an exciting opportunity and I’m looking forward to collaborating with the team to bring LBA back to its pre-Covid levels and contribute to sustainable future growth.”

Vincent Hodder, CEO of the airport, said: “LBA has, like all UK airports, been significantly impacted by the pandemic.

“Despite ongoing uncertainty, I am confident we have the right approach and team to navigate the crisis and I’m delighted to welcome Alex, who will be instrumental in our recovery and future plans as we transform LBA into a truly outstanding airport.

“I look forward to working closely together to prepare for the return of more airline partners and passengers, as Government permits, and to meet the pent-up demand of travellers in the region.”