Business Process Transformation

An interim solution for IT at BAA Heathrow

As the world's largest commercial operator of airports, BAA pic is no stranger to change. The company's seven UK airports are among the busiest in the world, handling about 98 million passengers a year. Inevitably, technology plays a key role when it comes to the support infrastructure required.

When BAA Heathrow found it was temporarily without an IT manager, the company asked Impact Executives to provide an individual capable of managing the Management Information Systems (MIS) area and overseeing some key projects.

Interim manager Kevin Lake was appointed to conduct an independent overview for the amalgamation of two teams' engineering systems and MIS. He also took on the management of the MIS area until the new IT manager was on board.

The MIS team was already engaged in 'Project Desktop' which involved the upgrade of some 2,000 PCs throughout Heathrow. John Tangaa, IT director, Heathrow Airport Limited, comments: "Using an interim manager to bridge the gap helped us enormously. Kevin was able to operate in all areas with minimum direction and therefore make an immediate contribution. He produced a documented overview of the amalgamation of the two teams which was objective and impartial.

No time was lost while we awaited our new manager and having an outsider on a short-term contract provided us with the impartial input we needed."

"The main challenge facing the IT team was the complexity of infrastructure in cabling and communications, both above and below ground, in the nine square miles of individual buildings connecting walkways and tarmac which is Heathrow."

Kevin Lake
Interim Manager