David Cooper

What’s your role at Christchurch Airport? My title is General Manager Commercial. I’m responsible for delivering our customer experience from the car park right through to getting on the plane, and making sure we do that in a profitable fashion.

What was your background before coming onboard? I was Chief Commercial Officer at Enable for just over two years. Before then I worked for The Warehouse Group, and before then various telcos both here in New Zealand and abroad.

What attracted you to Christchurch Airport? I could see that there was lots of progressive, interesting stuff happening here, and it seemed like a positive company and culture. Working at an airport is great. Anytime you mention it to someone they're really interested in what you do!

When did you make the move to Christchurch? I moved here with my family about two and a half years ago for my role at Enable. We had wanted to move away from Auckland at some point to give our kids a well-rounded life experience. We found a great work opportunity and thought, “let’s give it a go”. 

Favourite thing about living here? The quality of life is amazing. The city is on your doorstep and you've got all these wonderful outdoor activities close by. It's super easy to get around and everyone is really friendly. My kids love it. They say, “never leave”.

Has working at the airport surprised you in any way? Being able to see first-hand the connection we create for our customers and community. Watching people say a long drawn-out goodbye or a massive huge hello is wonderful on a human level. For me, it’s the small moments in between the big jobs that have meant the most.

What do you get up to when you’re not busy at work? Being a good dad and husband! I exercise about six days a week doing a mix of running, HIIT training, weights and yoga. Also – walking the dog, catching up with friends, and if I have the time and money, travelling.

Is there a place on your bucket list you'd like to get to? My wife and I lived in the UK for about 10 years before we had our family. We'd love to take the kids there and show them what life was like before they turned up and changed it!

Any advice for people who might be thinking about a career at the airport? Just give it a go. I didn't know a lot about airports before I got here. Turn up and be passionate – if you've got transferable skills and want to help customers, there could be a great role here for you. It's a wonderful place to work. Sometimes I pinch myself and think, gosh, I’m really lucky!