Introduction: In an exclusive interview with our Senior Business Editor Mark Lane, new AGS Airports Group Retail Director Tom Hack assesses the commercial potential of the three UK international airports in the company’s portfolio at Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton.
“We have a visionary Executive Team, totally invested in evolving the customer and commercial proposition. The culture of the business is evidently one of collaboration and support to strive for success.” That was the response of Tom Hack when asked for his early impressions of his new employer, AGS Airports, where he has just commenced the role of Group Retail Director.
Hack has recently made the switch from Bristol Airport, where he has spent his entire 21-year career to date, latterly as Head of Commercial. He says he was drawn to his new employer because of the characteristics and passenger demographic diversity across the three AGS-operated UK international airports at Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton.
“The opportunity to work across the whole group is hugely appealing, with different commercial propositions at each location,” Hack tells The Moodie Davitt Report. “We have a good mix of speciality retail brands, duty free and F&B across all three airports, and there is a solid commercial platform at each travel hub to build on.”
The AGS airports are forecast to serve a combined 12.1 million passengers this year, with 8.6 million of these expected to pass through Glasgow Airport. This would be a +16% rise against Glasgow’s 2023 total (and 97% of pre-pandemic levels).
“At Glasgow alone, we are looking for a further +15% passengers rise over the course of the next few years and we have some exciting plans for the airport’s retail and F&B scene,” says Hack.
“There have been multi-millions invested on the commercial front in Glasgow recently to meet these demands, and there is much more to follow.”
He continues: “SSP has made substantial investment in the F&B offering, creating the vibrant Bird & Signet restaurant and bar with a fantastically delivered Sense of Place, showcasing the history of Glasgow and the region. And TRG Concessions is also making significant investments in its F&B portfolio with the results to be revealed this summer.
“World Duty Free’s new luxury fragrance and beauty store, showcasing the best of Jo Malone, Le Labo, Origins and MAC, will soon open, and the addition of luxury brands such as Creed and Penhaligon’s in the main duty free store adds depth to the Glasgow Airport retail offer.”
In 2024, Hack shares that there will be “further, significant, multi-million pound investments in F&B, luxury retail, foreign exchange and duty free” at Glasgow. He adds that several tender opportunities covering F&B and luxury retail at the airport are upcoming.
Switching his focus to the commercial offer at Southampton Airport, Hack notes: “Southampton delivers a fantastic opportunity to review the retail offer. The airport took a major blow following the double impact of the collapse of Flybe and the onset of the pandemic in 2020.
“We are rebuilding the passenger volumes and will see a shift in airline mix, delivering different passenger and infrastructure needs. We need to ensure we are catering to the unique demographics at the airport, where we are undertaking qualitative insights work to really understand the changing passenger needs.”
Hack shares that current commercial developments of note at Southampton Airport include World Duty Free investing heavily in enhancing its duty free store. In addition, the landside F&B facilities are undergoing a substantial refurbishment programme.
Assessing the commercial scene at the final airport in the AGS portfolio, Aberdeen, Hack says: “The airport has undergone a major transformation in recent years and now has a modern terminal with some great F&B options.
“Aberdeen has a unique profile and needs to cater for a very broad demographic from the holiday traffic through to the oil and gas industry workers. That’s the challenge we have with the commercial offer there.”
Hack has not had to move from his south of England home to take up his new role. He explains: “Given the geographical positioning of the three AGS airports, my current location is very convenient to travel between all the locations.
“It’s a straightforward drive to Southampton and air connectivity to Glasgow and Aberdeen is good so I can experience all of our airports from a passenger viewpoint, which is hugely beneficial. I will be ensuring I am in Glasgow on set days so the whole retail team can be together, sharing ideas in person.”
Asked about his time and achievements at Bristol Airport, which served a record 9.8 million passengers in 2023 (up from 3.4 million in 2002, the year Hack started there), he modestly replies: “Bristol is a highly successful airport, delivering rapid passenger growth with some fantastically talented people behind the steering wheel, working well as a collective to deliver the success. If I had a role to play in that success, then I am very proud of that.
“The culture of a business is crucial to delivering long-term success. I’m proud of the part I played in cultivating the ‘One Team’ approach at Bristol and embedding the culture of support, engagement and commerciality.”
Turning his attention to the challenge ahead and his ambitions for the new lead commercial role for AGS, Hack concludes: “My focus now is on evolving the AGS opportunities. I am 100% committed to ensuring we can deliver the optimum customer and commercial experience across our three airports.
“Clearly, I want to create a great retail experience, befitting the group’s vision of being the leading regional airport group. More holistically, I hope I can have a long career here at AGS and see the culture of collaboration and the commerciality ethos embedded across the whole group.” ✈
