INTERNATIONAL. Architecture and commercial strategy practice Benoy has appointed travel retail specialist Pam McCarthy as Director of Aviation, reinforcing the firm’s ambition to provide fully integrated design-to-commercial solutions for airports worldwide.
The appointment follows Benoy’s full integration of Pragma Group earlier this year, bringing the consultancy’s commercial strategists – led by Benoy Strategy Directors Andrew McVicker and Patrick Cox – in-house.
The move has created a strengthened Commercial Strategy & Advisory division offering analytics-driven commercial planning, passenger behaviour insight and retail performance optimisation alongside terminal design.
Pragma has long advised major airport hubs, including Heathrow, Brussels, Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru and Dubai International, as well as leading real-estate investors.
Its skillset spans consumer research, competitive analysis, catchment studies and financial modelling – capabilities increasingly central to airport retail development as operators seek deeper insight into traveller behaviour and spend potential.
McCarthy adds substantial experience to the combined platform. Her 20-year travel retail career includes senior commercial roles at Dubai International Airport, Heathrow and Gatwick, and most recently Business Development Director for Large Air at WHSmith Travel.
Her expertise covers terminal masterplanning, retail mix optimisation, customer experience innovation and brand partnership development.
McCarthy said: “Airports have evolved into cultural and commercial destinations in their own right. Design through a deep understanding of the passenger journey is critical to that transformation, meaning both customer and investor are happy.
“What excites me most is the opportunity to work at the intersection of design and commercial strategy from day one, informing spatial planning with real passenger behaviour insights and translating architectural vision into measurable commercial outcomes.”
Based in Dubai, McCarthy will work alongside Paul Boldy, Head of Hospitality Futures, and the Commercial Strategy & Advisory leadership to support airport clients seeking integrated planning solutions.
The brief covers footfall analytics and customer-journey mapping through to terminal masterplanning and retail strategy execution. ✈
