Sydney Airport CEO decides 2023 will be final year in role

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Sydney Airport has announced today that, after almost 6 years of outstanding service, CEO Geoff Culbert has decided that this will be his last year in the role, with a global search to commence to find a new leader for Australia’s gateway airport.

Mr Culbert joined the publicly listed Sydney Airport as CEO in January 2018 from GE and will continue in his role until the end of the year to ensure a smooth transition.

During his tenure Mr Culbert steered Australia’s largest airport through a unique period of challenge, opportunity, and complexity. This included successfully restructuring and operating the airport through the global pandemic, managing and championing the airport through Australia’s largest ever take private (to a consortium led by Global Infrastructure Partners and IFM Investors), and subsequently managing the strong recovery in activity and passenger numbers at the airport.

Sydney Airport Chair David Gonski paid tribute to Mr Culbert’s achievements since 2018 and said: “We are enormously appreciative of Geoff’s skilled leadership during one of the most significant and disruptive periods in aviation history.

“This includes managing the airport through the pandemic when traffic was devastated by border closures, the recent rapid recovery, and dealing with the largest take-private transaction in Australian corporate history.

“As a leader, Geoff also built an outstanding team and culture that will endure long after he departs. We are pleased that Geoff will be staying on until the end of the year to give us the opportunity to conduct a global search and facilitate a smooth transition to a new CEO”.

Mr Culbert said: “It’s been a privilege to have led Australia’s premier domestic and international airport since 2018, and to work with such a wonderful team through a unique and challenging period in the airport’s history.

“By the end of the year the airport will be close to fully recovered, and that will be the right time to hand over to a new CEO who will lead the airport through the next phase.

“Sydney Airport has been part of the social and economic fabric of Sydney and NSW for more than 100 years and I’m confident it will continue to play a crucial role for the next hundred.”

« Back to Page

• Syracuse Regional Airport to Lose Southwest Airlines Operations in August

• Airbus Helicopters and GDAT Forge Alliance: Agreement for 20 H175 Helicopters

• Alberto Orso’s 15 Year Volunteer Journey at Miami International Airport

• Changi Airport Group Selects OUE for New Hotel Development at Terminal 2

• Ontario International Airport Authority Supports USO With $32,000 Donation For Servicemembers