DAA selects LDA boss John Coleman as new chief executive

DAA, the State-owned operator of Dublin and Cork airports, has appointed Land Development Agency (LDA) chief executive John Coleman as its new chief executive, replacing Kenny Jacobs, who stepped down earlier this year.Coleman will be in situ for seven years, DAA said in a statement on Tuesday, and will take up the role early in 2027. He joins from the LDA, the Government agency established to develop housing on and strategically manage publicly owned lands, since its creation in 2018. Coleman also previously served as chief financial officer at the National Asset Management Agency (Nama).DAA chairman Gary Owens said Coleman is being appointed “following a comprehensive selection process”. READ MORE“His familiarity with navigating complex planning and regulatory systems will also be of great value to DAA as we progress our plans for the long-term development of Dublin and Cork airports,” Owens said.Coleman said he was “honoured and excited” to join the airport operator. “Throughout my career, I have been driven by a belief that strong infrastructure, strong institutions and strong stakeholder partnerships are essential to national progress.”In a separate written statement put out by the LDA, Coleman said his role at the agency was “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to establish an organisation focused solely on tackling one of the biggest challenges facing our country”. He said the LDA had “made great progress” in its first eight years. The LDA said the process to find Coleman’s successor will “commence in the coming weeks”. Coleman joins DAA after Kenny Jacobs stood down from the top role earlier this year, amid disagreements with the State-owned airport operator’s board. Jacobs, a former Ryanair executive, sued DAA in the High Court in January after he was suspended by the company in December 2025, pending an investigation into allegations made against him.This followed Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien’s refusal to sign off on an exit package, known to amount to a figure of close to €1 million, for Jacobs that had emerged from mediation between both sides.He settled the action in February, agreeing to “voluntarily step down” from the position.