Simon Fell will be the new chief technology officer (CTO) as appointed by BAA currently to take over the technological developments in the airports under it. He is not only new but the first CTO to the company. Duties will be assigned to Fell as soon as he takes up the post in August. He will be the in charge for the technological innovations, strategy, technical standards and program development and will report about all this to the CIO of Airport Operator BAA, Philip Langsdale. Philip is also the silicon.com CIO50 2011 alumnus.

Presently Simon Fell is working as a technical consultant with Freeview which is a digital television service. Prior to this he was the director of the future technologies at the ITV (Independent Television). On his election as the chief technology officer at BAA he said it is an “exciting opportunity” for him to help developing and bringing innovation into the dynamic business of airports. It is a sparkling occasion for him to join in to oblige the technical growth at the BAA airports in the country.

Langsdale regarded fell to be the important addition to the IT executive team of BAA. In one of his statements, he said that the role of a CTO is aimed to reinforce and build up the technologies that are offered by BAA at its airports. In March this year, BAA declared that it was refurbishing the technology used at the six UK airports owned by the company in order to enhance the services offered to the passengers, airlines and other related businesses. The company is planning to put in 400m pounds into the Heathrow’s IT in the next five years to come which also includes the redevelopment of Terminal 2 at the airport.

BAA is also intended to invest on its additional technological strategy at other airports in UK including Southampton, Stansted, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh. There are plans of developing them to work as the stand-alone commerce units of the country. Nevertheless, the current ruling of the Competition Commission that BAA must put up for sale Stansted airport and either Glasgow or Edinburgh airport is surely to affect its plans. There is a lot more expected after the arrival of Fell in the team of BAA which will surely turn into the best interests of the company as well as the passengers and airports.