Our Alumni, Their Journey

I joined daa International in January 2021, transitioning from my role as Department Head at Dublin Airport to become Project Director for Red Sea International Airport (RSI). After two years leading the project, I was honoured to be appointed CEO and Accountable Executive of RSI Airport, marking a historic milestone-daa International became the first non-Saudi entity to hold an airport licence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Starting with just a Plan on a Page, I helped turn RSI Airport into a fully operational facility over a two-year period. By early 2023, the airport employed nearly 500 people, both directly and indirectly. It’s been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career-building something extraordinary from the ground up.

One of the most significant achievements during my tenure was securing full operational certification from the national aviation regulator-an accomplishment that demanded extensive planning, stakeholder coordination, and agile leadership. Faced with aggressive timelines and high client expectations, we moved swiftly to achieve key milestones. That included recruiting and training staff, conducting ORAT, and preparing a robust regulatory submission-ultimately earning our Operators Licence and launching live airport operations in September 2023. What guided our progress was daa’s strong delivery culture. We responded to every challenge with smart thinking and a positive mindset, quickly establishing a reputation with our strategic partners for reliability and agility.

When I stepped into this overseas assignment, I was given decision-making autonomy unlike any I’d held previously. Acting as the key figure on site required confidence, clarity, and a strong compass for operational leadership. Making bold decisions without immediate consultation helped me tap into skills I hadn’t exercised in years-trusting my judgement and learning to navigate complexity independently. Upon returning to Ireland, I’ve taken on the role of Deputy Managing Director of Dublin Airport, having advanced from department head to daa International executive and back into senior leadership within the daa Group. That journey reflects how transformative this experience has been for me personally and professionally.

Operating in Saudi Arabia brought a host of challenges-from understanding new client organisations and local operational styles, to integrating daa’s ethos into a multi-stakeholder environment. The biggest test came in preparing RSI Airport for launch. Coordinating multiple workstreams, ensuring regulatory readiness, recruiting top talent, and rolling out operational training programmes under immense time pressure pushed our limits-and proved our resilience. What made it work was the strength of the team culture we built and the strategic support that flowed from daa HQ and peer networks across daa International projects.

What makes daa International unique is the way it enables global insights through autonomy and collaboration. As a Project Director, I had the freedom to lead decisively, the support of our Dublin-based leadership when needed, and access to global colleagues who offered shared perspectives and insights. This cross-border dynamic allowed me to benchmark against global industry standards and cultivate a broader mindset for innovation and delivery.

If you’re joining daa International, I’d offer three pieces of advice: 1. Embrace the local culture-it will shape your perspective in extraordinary ways 2. Embrace hardship-the biggest growth happens when you stretch beyond comfort 3. Ask for support-you’re part of an experienced, trusted team who always have your back

Everything I learned at daa International-confidence in decision-making, global benchmarking, and navigating high-stakes delivery-continues to influence how I lead back at Dublin Airport.

Looking back, I believe we made a profound impact through our work at RSI Airport: We expanded our client contract organically through consistent delivery We established operational standards that gained national recognition and contributed to broader airport working groups We developed a high-performing local team, blending cultures and raising the bar in both service delivery and operational excellence That sense of shared success and team development is the legacy I’m most proud of—and I believe daa International’s global presence will only grow stronger by continuing to build outstanding airport teams and industry partnerships.