MBJ Airports picks Montegonian as first Jamaican CEO
Published:Monday | February 17, 2020 | 12:17 AMJanet Silvera/Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
A Montegonian has been named as the new head of MBJ Airports Limited, operator of Sangster International Airport in the parish of St James.
Shane Munroe, a Cornwallian who has been working at Sangster for 18 years, was appointed chief executive officer effective February 1.
He replaces Dr Rafael Echevarne, who has assumed the role of director general for the Airports Council International Latin America and the Caribbean.
According to MBJ, Munroe is the first Jamaican to hold this position in the organisation’s 16-year history.
Munroe has a master’s degree in aviation management from the University of New South Wales and brings a wealth of technical and operational expertise to the role.
He is expected to build on the work started by his predecessor, completing a proposed US$112-million spend over the next five years of upgrading and modernising Sangster, which processed 4.77 million passengers in 2019, a five per cent increase over the previous year. Sangster connects Jamaica to more than 60 international destinations in 16 countries by 35 airlines.
FURTHER DEVELOPING MBJ
An international airport professional who has been directly involved in the planning and execution of MBJ’s master plan, Munroe says he is looking forward to working with his team to create efficiencies “and contribute to further developing the airport to be one of the best in the world. The team at the airport should be seen as global experts, as good as any talent elsewhere,” he said in a media statement.
Most recently, he served in the capacity of chief technical officer, where he had responsibility for directing, coordinating, and planning the activities of the Projects and Information Technology departments.
Passionate about developing high-performing teams, driving innovation, business growth, and delivering critical business results, the new CEO says the airport’s plan is to be part of the vacation experience and is on course as it positions itself as an extension to a passenger’s vacation rather than just a transit point.
“The architectural concept for the terminal will portray a sense of place that incorporates local cultural elements into a modern design. MBJ is a proud patron of the arts and showcases Jamaican culture throughout the airport,” he told The Gleaner.
As a certified project management professional and certified member of the American Association of Airport Executives, Munroe believes he can deliver on the promise made by MBJ to expand its runway, under a $70-million contract, increasing its overall size to 3,070m.
Work, he said, is also to begin on the customs hall and arrivals ground transportation. Two additional remote gates will be added to the west concourse. Expansion of the outbound baggage carousels; additional inbound baggage carousels; and replacement of the HVAC, chillers, and common-use terminal equipment will be completed after.
Munroe is father to a seven-year-old son, James, and is married to respected family-medicine practitioner Dr Patrice Thelwell-Munroe.