Menzies Aviation appoints new legal, sustainability head and Company Secretary

Menzies Aviation has appointed John Frame as its new Chief Legal & Sustainability Officer, succeeding John Geddes who will retire in November 2026 after more than thirty years with the company. Frame’s appointment will take effect on 1 September 2026, and he will lead the firm’s global legal, governance, compliance and sustainability functions.

Frame joined Menzies in 2021 as Group Legal Counsel and became Group Head of Legal in 2023. During his time with the company he has led major legal programmes, strengthened governance frameworks and supported key strategic transactions that have helped with Menzies’ expansion.

Geddes has held senior leadership positions at Menzies since 1997, most recently as Chief Governance & Sustainability Officer and Group Company Secretary. Over his long career he helped guide the company’s transformation from a single cargo facility at London Heathrow into a global business operating at 350 airports in 65 countries. He will continue in his current role until his retirement at the end of November and then support the business as a non-executive director.

As part of the leadership changes, Owen Harkins has been promoted to Group Company Secretary, also from 1 September. Harkins joined Menzies in 2016 and has played a central role in developing the company’s governance and compliance frameworks, including supporting major mergers and acquisitions.

Hassan El-Houry, Executive Chairman of Menzies Aviation, said Geddes had been instrumental in shaping the company’s governance, environmental, social and governance (ESG) and compliance work over three decades and expressed gratitude for his leadership. Philipp Joeinig, Group CEO, said he was pleased to appoint both Frame and Harkins, noting that their experience and integrity would support Menzies’ continued growth and strengthen its governance and sustainability leadership.