In this IR Open Mic Magic Mirror snip-it, Curtis askes Craig Richmond, former President and CEO of Vancouver Airport Authority and global airport executive, to peer into the looking glass and bear his soul!

🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.

In this IR Open Mic snip-it, Curtis Grad asks his guest Craig Richmond, former President and CEO of Vancouver Airport Authority and global airport executive to share his craziest story from his varied and intriguing career in the airport sector.

🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.

Welcome to Open Mic, the airport- and aviation-focused podcast hosted by Curtis Grad, Chief Executive and Founding Partner of Modalis Infrastructure Partners. Each episode features in-depth conversations with global aviation leaders—airport executives, investors, innovators, and policy experts—exploring the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the airport and aviation landscape.

In this episode, Curtis speaks with Craig Richmond, former President and CEO of Vancouver Airport Authority and one of Canada’s most respected airport leaders. Together, Curtis and Craig reflect on Craig’s remarkable aviation journey—from Vancouver to the Bahamas, the UK, Cyprus and beyond—and explore the leadership principles, culture and resilience required to build world-class airport organizations.

They dive into:
✈️ Craig’s return to Vancouver Airport Authority after seven years abroad—and the challenge of leading an airport already recognized as one of the world’s best.
 🌎 Lessons learned from international airport leadership roles in the Bahamas, the UK, Cyprus, and beyond.
 🤝 Why airport culture, teamwork, and customer service are foundational to long-term success.
 🏗️ Building resilient airport organizations by empowering teams, encouraging innovation, and preparing the next generation of leaders.
 🛫 The unforgettable moments that define aviation careers—from 9/11 diversions to airline launches, Olympic operations and even a "rumble" with Jackie Chan.

Timestamps:
1:27  Returning to Vancouver Airport Authority as CEO
3:32  Building airport culture and defining organizational values
5:56  Customer service, leadership and operational excellence
13:30  Starting up Nassau Airport Development Company
19:33  Crazy aviation stories: 9/11 and managing airport crises
26:29  Transition to the UK
37:34  The future of aviation, space exploration and Artemis II
39:44  Magic Mirror: Rapid-fire questions with Craig

🎧 Tune in for insider perspectives from airport and aviation thought leaders.
 🔔 Subscribe for future episodes.
 💬 Like and Comment: What leadership qualities are most important in building resilient airport organizations?
 🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.

In this IR Open Mic snip-it, Curtis invite Belinda Jain, Vice President, Customer Experience and Commercial at JFK International Air Terminal, operator of Terminal 4 at New York’s JFK Airport to peer into the Magic Mirror and reveal her inner self!

🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.

In this IR Open Mic snip-it, Curtis asks Belinda Jain, Vice President, Customer Experience and Commercial at JFK International Air Terminal, operator of Terminal 4 at New York’s JFK Airport to share her craziest story from her varied and intriguing career in the airport sector.

🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.

Welcome to Open Mic, the airport- and aviation-focused podcast hosted by Curtis Grad, Chief Executive and Founding Partner of Modalis Infrastructure Partners. Each episode features in-depth conversations with global aviation leaders—airport executives, investors, innovators, and policy experts—exploring the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the airport and aviation landscape.

In this episode, Curtis speaks with Belinda Jain, Vice President, Customer Experience and Commercial at JFK International Air Terminal, operator of Terminal 4 at New York’s JFK Airport. Together, Curtis and Belinda explore n airport commercial strategy, how terminal operators can differentiate in a competitive airport environment and why customer experience must evolve into a broader “terminal experience” that includes passengers, employees, airlines and partners. 

They dive into:
✈️ Belinda’s global aviation journey—from the Queen Alia Airport project in Jordan to leadership roles in Mumbai and now JFK Terminal 4.
🏗️ Reimagining Terminal 4 through a major transformation program spanning passenger experience, employee experience, commercial strategy, and terminal ambience.
🛍️ The complexity of redeveloping and modernizing more than 100 concessions while maintaining operations for tens of thousands of daily passengers.
🤝 Why terminal experience goes beyond passengers—building a unified ecosystem that includes employees, airlines, and partners.
🌆 Creating a distinct “sense of place” at JFK Terminal 4 while aligning with the broader One JFK vision.

Timestamps:
1:06  Queen Alia Airport: Lessons from a landmark project
4:04  Leading transformation at JFK Terminal 4
4:50  Commercial redevelopment and concession strategy
12:10  F&B investments and terminal experience versus customer experience
16:40  Crazy aviation story: Opening day of a new terminal
18:15  From fashion and retail to airport commercial strategy
29:27  Magic Mirror: Rapid-fire questions with Belinda

🎧 Tune in for insider perspectives from airport and aviation thought leaders.
🔔 Subscribe for future episodes.
💬 Like and Comment: How can airport terminals differentiate themselves while delivering a unified passenger experience?
🌐 Visit https://www.modalisinfra.ca/openmic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.

In this IR Open Mic snip-it, Curtis asks Juan José Salmón, Chief Executive Officer of Lima Airport Partners (LAP), the private operator and developer of Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Peru to share his craziest story from from his varied and intriguing career the airport sector.

🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.

In this IR Open Mic snip-it, Curtis asks Juan José Salmón, Chief Executive Officer of Lima Airport Partners (LAP), the private operator and developer of Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Peru to share his craziest story from his varied and intriguing career in the airport sector.

🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.

Welcome to Open Mic, the airport- and aviation-focused podcast hosted by Curtis Grad, Chief Executive and Founding Partner of Modalis Infrastructure Partners. Each episode features in-depth conversations with global aviation leaders—airport executives, investors, innovators, and policy experts—exploring the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the airport and aviation landscape.

In this episode, Curtis speaks with Juan José Salmón, Chief Executive Officer of Lima Airport Partners (LAP), the private operator and developer of Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Peru. Together, Curtis and Juan José explore the extraordinary journey behind the airport’s new terminal and the broader role of private sector investment in transforming aviation infrastructure across Latin America.

They dive into:
✈️ The multi-year effort to plan, design, and deliver Lima’s new airport terminal—including navigating COVID-19 disruptions and redesigning the project mid-stream.
🏗️ The operational challenge of closing the old airport and moving an entire operation—including aircraft, equipment, and personnel—to a new terminal in less than 24 hours.
📈 The remarkable growth story of Lima Airport, expanding from just a few million passengers at the start of the concession to nearly 26 million today.
🌎 Why Latin America has become the most privatized airport region in the world—and what that means for infrastructure investment and connectivity.
🚀 The future of aviation in the region, including open skies, increased connectivity, and emerging airport technologies.

Timestamps:
1:25  The story behind Lima’s new airport terminal
3:00  The operational challenge of moving an airport in 24 hours
8:50  Lima Airport’s extraordinary passenger growth
11:14  Public vs private airport management models
14:20  From maritime logistics to aviation leadership
21:48  Crazy aviation story: shutting down the airport during COVID
27:53  The future of aviation connectivity in Latin America
34:37  Magic Mirror: Rapid-fire questions with Juan José

🎧 Tune in for insider perspectives from airport and aviation thought leaders.
🔔 Subscribe for future episodes.
💬 Like and Comment: What lessons can other regions learn from Latin America’s airport privatization model?

🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.

In this IR Open Mic snip-it, Curtis invites Karen Ellis, Assistant General Manager of Customer Experience at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) to peer into the Magic Mirror and reflect on the things that make her tick!

🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.