James Young

Chief Executive Officer

Airways New Zealand

James Young is Chief Executive of Airways New Zealand, the country’s air navigation service provider and a recognised contributor to global air traffic management capability and innovation. He is accountable for the safety, performance, and long term sustainability of New Zealand’s air navigation services, while also leading Airways’ international commercial and technical engagement across the aviation sector.
With extensive leadership experience, James brings a strong focus on operational excellence, system resilience, and collaborative transformation to meet the evolving demands of global airspace systems. He is committed to harnessing digital innovation, data driven decision making, and new operating models to enable safer, smarter, and more integrated airspace operations, while balancing the needs of domestic aviation users with international best practice.
Prior to joining Airways, James held senior leadership roles in the investment industry while living and working in Tokyo, San Francisco, and Hong Kong. During this time, he developed deep experience in market development, investments, and stakeholder engagement across complex and fast moving environments.
James’ vision for Airways is to create long term value for shareholders and customers by delivering high quality services at a competitive price, while positioning the organisation to lead through technological change and future airspace challenges.

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