Topping takes key Asia role as Alpha restructures

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Alpha Airports Group has restructured its airport retail and passenger catering operation into three divisions: UK retail; UK passenger catering; and International, which in turn breaks down into Asia/Middle East and the Americas.

Paul Topping, currently Alpha Retail?s director business development, becomes managing director for the Asia/Middle East area for the Alpha group. Ex-Hoverspeed executive David King is named managing director of UK passenger catering. Both will report to Alpha Retail managing director Hilary Lewis. Alpha Airports ceo Kevin Abbott will play a bigger day to day role in the company?s business development.

Lewis told DFNI that the restructure is designed to grow the company?s business in key target areas such as passenger catering and in the sub-continent, where Alpha will open its first airport duty-free stores in India at Cochin airport early next year. It also has a strong Sri Lankan operation.

Lewis said: "With the growth of India and Sri Lanka, in particular, Paul Topping will take on a key focus in developing the region. Passenger catering is another exciting area for us and David?s appointment underlines this."

Meanwhile, Lewis reacted phlegmatically to the loss of the London City airport duty-free contract to Nuance Global Traders (full details in the next issue of DFNI) saying the company would only bid on the basis of financially viable returns.