ACL is pleased to announce the appointment of Fernando de Freitas as Head of Coordination, marking the next chapter in a career spanning more than 15 years with the company and over two decades in aviation.

Having joined ACL as a Coordinator, Fernando has progressed through a range of roles across the organisation, supporting airports and projects in the UK, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Luxembourg, Abu Dhabi and Sydney. His experience provides a strong foundation for leading ACL’s global coordination operation.

As Head of Coordination, Fernando will oversee ACL’s worldwide coordination services, ensuring the continued delivery of high-quality coordination for a growing and diverse customer base.

“The job is very different because it’s more about overseeing the whole delivery of the operation while staying within the regulatory framework and delivering coordination excellence.”

Customer focus and adaptability are central to Fernando’s vision for the role.

“It’s about making sure that we as a team deliver something that our customers are proud of, something where they can really tell the difference between what we are and another coordinator. We’ve got different regulations, different cultures and different requirements. It’s about being adaptable to where we are with our customer profile.”

Looking ahead, Fernando explains:

“There’s opportunity to develop our people within the coordination team and improve customer experience. We can’t just stand still because we’ve done things a certain way for 35 years.”

“We need to support how we make the best use of capacity while contributing to the future direction of slot coordination. Whether that’s artificial intelligence or whatever comes next, we need to be part of that conversation.”

Fernando’s appointment forms part of a wider evolution of ACL’s leadership team following the promotion of Richard Cann to Director of Coordination, where he will focus on the strategic, regulatory and industry developments shaping the future of ACL’s coordination services.

Commenting on the appointment, CEO Neil Garwood said:

“At ACL we’re continually investing in our people, our systems and our ability to keep pace with a changing world. The emphasis we place on training and development is second to none, so it’s great to see these team changes and especially Fernando’s appointment into this leadership role.”

Everyone at ACL congratulates Fernando on his appointment and looks forward to supporting him as he leads the next chapter of ACL’s coordination operation.