John Coleman

John Coleman has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of daa, the state-owned operator of Dublin and Cork airports, effective early 2027. Coleman holds a seven-year term and is a graduate of University College Dublin and a chartered accountant.

Coleman brings a proven track record of engaging with commercial organisations on behalf of the Irish state and seeking innovative solutions that address Ireland's national needs. He brings extensive experience of leading major state-backed organisations to his new role, with particular expertise in navigating complex planning and regulatory systems—a capability highlighted by daa's board as especially valuable for the airport operator's long-term development plans.

Coleman said his "time at the LDA has been the highlight of my career" and described this as a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to establish an organisation focused solely on tackling one of the biggest challenges facing our country".

Career history

• Chief Executive Officer, Land Development Agency (2018-2026): Responsible for taking the state's affordable housing developer from concept into being one of Ireland's principal housing development and delivery organisations, with €8.75 billion of capital capacity and over 300 people
• Chief Financial Officer, National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) (2011 onwards): Held a number of senior roles during his tenure at Ireland's state asset management agency

What Coleman could bring to Chief Executive Officer at daa: Coleman's 8-year track record of building a government agency from inception and scaling it to over 300 employees, combined with his financial acumen from his NAMA leadership and demonstrated expertise in navigating complex regulatory systems, positions him well to manage daa's international aviation operations across 15 countries, oversee long-term development of Dublin and Cork airports, and advance the company's travel retail and consultancy arms. His background in state-sector organisation-building and stakeholder management aligns with daa's need for strategic infrastructure development during a period of record passenger growth.