Once upon a flight time, the tedium of the airport transit process was exacerbated by the blandness of the airports themselves. Southern Cross University MBA graduate Marion Charlton remembers those airports well and acknowledges the staggering contrast to those of today. Her own airport – Gold Coast Airport (GCA) at Coolangatta – is a case in point.
As Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Queensland Airports Limited, Marion is based at the GCA site and has overseen a comprehensive program of infrastructural development, modernisation, commercial expansion, increased aviation services, greater passenger capacity and an aesthetic overhaul.
The result is a commercial and industrial entity which has around 3000 employees, welcomes more than six million passengers per year and injects more than $500m annually into Australia's biggest tourist destination and sixth largest city.
A self-confessed "aviation tragic", Irish-born Marion entered the industry as a commercial manager at Dublin Airport in the late 1980s. Since then, experience and insight have guided her progress. So too has education.
When she began her MBA in 2012, Marion was already GCA's General Manager (Commercial and Terminals) reporting to the then COO. She was convinced of the merit of complementing her professional strengths through further education. And with Southern Cross University's Gold Coast campus just a short stroll away, the connection was obvious.
"Throughout my career, I have set professional and personal goals," says Marion. "To me, learning is a lifelong pursuit, and I am curious by nature.
"Also, when I was pondering an MBA, GCA already had an accelerated leadership program with Southern Cross University and that had given me a strong sense of the university's ethos, along with credit towards an MBA."
"It made sense to me. I knew an MBA could bridge gaps in my knowledge and skills in areas like corporate finance, in asking the right questions and identifying and managing priority issues, and being comfortable with in-depth discussion around finances, logistics and more.
"The MBA enhanced my professional skills while also providing a renewed impetus and academic rigour that I could bring to the operation of the airport."
When the COO position became available in 2015, Marion was primed for the role.
Her career in Australia began in 1991 while on a leave of absence from Dublin Airport. The offer of a similar role at Sydney Airport proved irresistible and thus began an eventful decade that saw her rise to become Head of Brand, Business Manager and Passenger Facilitation Manager.
"When I started, Sydney's parallel runway was being built and the airport was being heavily disrupted by protests," she recalls. "As well as my regular role, I would come in and help passengers during this challenging time.
"It was also the time of "the winner is Sid-er-nee", so we knew there would be plenty to do in preparation for the 2000 Olympic Games."
To ensure Sydney Airport's readiness, Marion travelled to Atlanta for the 1996 Olympic Games to monitor the city's airport strategy and to draw insights for Sydney's own strategy for 2000.
By now, thoughts of returning to Ireland were becoming distant, disappearing completely when, as Marion says: "I fell in love." She and husband Andrew met at Sydney Airport and Marion knew she was staying in Australia.
She joined GCA in 2009 and since then has become one of the Gold Coast's most respected business identities. Along with her position at GCA, she has also served on several boards, including the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital Foundation, the Placemakers arts and culture group, and Study Gold Coast.
Behind the friendly face and welcoming smile, Marion harbours a fierce determination, particularly regarding the importance of GCA.
"We are the gateway to the Gold Coast and Northern New South Wales, acting as an economic and social anchor for the region," says Marion.
"First and last impressions matter and we provide that for millions of passengers every year. From a tourism perspective, we are an extension of the holiday experience. We are also representative of our region, hence the level of care and thought that has gone into the development we have undertaken."
Development is not limited to the airport, which is part of a burgeoning precinct also featuring the Rydges Gold Coast Airport Hotel, which opened in 2020, and Southern Cross University.
Within that context, Marion is excited to take GCA through its next phase of operation, one already experiencing increasing demand in the post-COVID era, and which also has the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games on the horizon.
No doubt there will be lessons to learn along the way, but that is not an issue for a lifelong learner like Marion. Again, she cites Southern Cross University.
"Looking back on my MBA experience, at the time I did ask myself the question of whether it was the right thing to do while immersed in such a demanding job and with a young family," she says.
"The answer lies in outcomes. My MBA has been so influential and continues to serve me well. It was the right thing to do.
