Geoff Culbert to leave role as CEO of Sydney Airport at end of year

Sydney Airport will shortly begin the search for a new CEO after revealing that Geoff Culbert will step down at the end of the year.

Culbert, who has held the position for almost six years, 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, 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.

Paying tribute to Culbert, Sydney Airport chair, David Gonski, 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.”

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.”