Civil Aviation Authority Board & Executive Committee

Sir Stephen Hillier

Sir Stephen Hillier became Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority on 1 August 2020.

He previously had a long career in the Royal Air Force, eventually becoming Chief of the Air Staff, the head of the Service. A decorated pilot and instructor on a wide range of aircraft types, he served in both Gulf Wars, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and the US Bronze Star Medal. He held various command positions, including RAF Lossiemouth and No. 2 Group, and served in key roles at the Ministry of Defence, such as Director Information Superiority and Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Capability).

He has wide experience of leading large, complex and high-profile portfolios and programmes, and of change and risk management within regulated environments.

Hillier has been a trustee of Veterans Aid since October 2019 and, since 2021, is also an honorary professor in the University of Birmingham's School of Government.

His flying career started at age 17 when the CAA issued him his Private Pilot’s Licence.

Rob Bishton

Rob Bishton is the Chief Executive of the UK Civil Aviation Authority and has held the role since 21 October 2023.

Rob became Chief Executive after holding the Interim Joint CEO position between April and October 2023.

Appointed to the Board as Group Director of Safety and Airspace Regulation in November 2019, Rob has been at the CAA since 2014, and previously held the role of Head of Flight Operations.

He has extensive experience in the aviation industry, including positions at Fastjet, Astraeus and easyJet. Rob, as a qualified commercial pilot, has more than 10,000 flying hours on B787 and B737 aircraft. 

Rob has also represented the UK at the EASA Management Board and was formerly a NED of the UK Flight Safety Committee.

Tracey Martin

Tracey Martin was appointed Chief Finance Officer and a member of the Civil Aviation Authority Board on 20 September 2023. 

Tracey was initially appointed as interim Chief Finance Officer in May 2023. 

Tracey brings her vast experience to the role, having previously held senior executive finance positions at Bristol Health, the Gambling Commission, NHS England, North Wales Police, and, more recently, the British Transport Police. 

Giancarlo Buono

Giancarlo Buono was appointed Group Director, Safety and Airspace Regulation and Civil Aviation Authority Board member on 9 October 2024 and took up the position from 8 January 2025.

A seasoned leader, Giancarlo's career encompasses both civil and military aviation. He joined the CAA from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), where he served as Regional Director for Safety and Flight Operations in Europe, working closely with international stakeholders to enhance operational safety and efficiency across the industry.

Giancarlo holds a Master’s degree in Air Transport Management from City St. George’s, University of London, and has completed an executive leadership program at Harvard University Law School.

He started as an officer and pilot in the Air Force before transitioning to commercial aviation, where he held several senior positions prior to joining the IATA.

Selina Chadha

Selina Chadha was appointed Group Director for Consumers & Markets and a member of the Civil Aviation Authority Board on 27 August 2024.

Selina's role includes overseeing the Civil Aviation Authority's economic regulation, competition, consumer protection, consumer enforcement activity and the ATOL financial protection scheme.

Prior to joining the Civil Aviation Authority, Selina served as Director of Policy (Competition and Consumer) at Ofcom. Her time at Ofcom was marked by strategic leadership, and a strong commitment to promoting investment and competitions, and protecting consumers in the communications sector.

Katherine Corich

Katherine Corich was appointed as a Non-Executive member of the Board on 1 July 2019, and is the Senior Independent Director.

She serves on the Audit and Remuneration Committees. She has extensive experience of corporate governance, performance/risk-based regulation and aviation safety, serving on public, corporate, academic and third sector boards.

She is currently Chair of the Sysdoc Group and IAP boards, and is a non-Exec director of MyWave Artificial Intelligence, Pure Advantage Climate Change Think Tank and Auckland University Business School.

Katherine is a technology entrepreneur and trained commercial pilot. She was inducted into the NZ Hi-Tech Hall of Fame in 2015 and has been twice named as an EY Entrepreneur of the Year.

Manny Lewis

Manny Lewis was appointed as a Non-Executive member of the Board in October 2021, leading on people, change and business excellence.

He brings with him a wide array of skills and experience having worked in numerous positions across the public sector and local government, including Watford Borough Council, Essex Partnership University Foundation NHS Trust and Habinteg Housing Association.

Anne Lambert

Anne Lambert CMG became a Non-Executive member of the Board on 1 February 2019.

She is also a non-executive member of the Horseracing Betting Levy Board.

Anne was an Inquiry Chair at the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) 2014 to 2019 and a Non-Executive Director of the CMA from 2016 to 2018.

Previous roles include the UK’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the EU and Director, European and Government Affairs for NATS. She also works as a freelance trainer on negotiating skills.

Air Vice-Marshal Suraya Marshall

Air Vice-Marshal Suraya Marshall became a Non-Executive member of the Civil Aviation Authority Board in June 2024. 

Suraya is a decorated Royal Air Force (RAF) officer with extensive experience in operations, command, and staff roles. 

She joined the RAF in 1994 as a Navigator, flying Tornado F3s and participating in numerous deployments including the second Gulf War.

Suraya has held various command positions, including Commandant of the RAF College and Air Officer Commanding No. 2 Group. In 2019, she directed Coalition Air Operations across the Middle East. She also served in defence procurement, the Typhoon Force Headquarters, and the Ministry of Defence. She is a Trustee of the Royal Air Force Museum.

She holds a Masters in Defence Studies.

Jonathan Spence

Jonathan Spence joined the Civil Aviation Authority in January 2022.

His responsibilities include leading the in-house legal and enforcement teams, internal audit team and ensuring that the CAA properly identifies and addresses legal risks. Jonathan is also a trustee of the UK’s Air Travel Trust.

Prior to joining the CAA, Jonathan was a Legal Director at the Office for Gas and Electricity Markets, advising on public law, competition law and regulation.  Jonathan started his career in private practice working for a number of leading competition law practices in the City.

Jonathan also attends the Civil Aviation Authority Board.

Ben Alcott

Ben Alcott joined the UK CAA in 1998 following a career in the gas turbine industry. Ben has held a number of management and leadership roles in the UK CAA, covering areas from propulsion, safety data and safety planning, to personnel licensing and oversight of approved training organisations. From Nov 2013-Nov 2015 Ben led the UK’s CAA’s Performance Based Regulation Programme, the UK CAA’s transformation programme to be a performance-based regulator.

In November 2015 Ben was appointed as the CAA’s first International Director, and then in 2023 Ben created the Professional Services Group, bringing CAA International Limited (where Ben chairs the Board), the CAA’s Shared Service Centre, and other service-oriented teams together. Ben is also the CAA ExCo sponsor for the CAA’s Customer Experience and Modernisation Programme, a director of CAA’s subsidiary Air Safety Support International, and Chair of the CAA’s Wellbeing Board.

Peter Drissell

Peter was appointed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as its first Director of Aviation Security in 2013 and led the transition of operational aviation security functions from the Department for Transport (DfT) to the CAA on 1st April 2014.

Prior to his appointment, Peter was Director of Security & Business Continuity for the Home Office. He was also the Home Office HR Diversity Champion. Prior to this, Peter had served for 32 years in the Royal Air Force from which he retired as an Air Commodore in April 2007.

In his military career, Peter served in a number of operational and staff appointments within the UK and overseas. After a year serving as Provost Marshal for the RAF, his last appointment combined the roles of Commandant General of the Royal Air Force Regiment and Air Officer RAF Police.

Until 2014, Peter was a Director of Plan UK, an international children’s charity, a position he had held for some 10 years, and until 2014 had been a trustee of the City and Guilds; he remains on the governing council of that organisation.

In April 2024, Peter was appointed Honorary Air Commodore of No 2624 Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force, based at RAF Brize Norton.

Tim Johnson

Tim Johnson is the Director for Communication, Strategy, and Policy (CSP) at the Civil Aviation Authority and in March 2024 was also appointed the Chief of Staff, overseeing the function of the Chair and CEO Office. As Director of CSP, Tim is responsible for driving forward the regulator's approach to major policy issues including innovation, airspace modernisation and consumer policy.

Prior to joining the CAA in January 2014, he was Head of Strategy and latterly Head of Regulation at NATS.

His earlier career was spent in Government, and included posts at HM Treasury, the Shareholder Executive and the MoD.

Tim also attends the Civil Aviation Authority Board.

Sophie O'Sullivan

Sophie O'Sullivan is Head of Future Safety & Innovation.

A member of the senior executive team, Sophie leads on the delivery of the CAA's innovation agenda..

Lucy Robbins

Lucy Robbins is Director of People and Culture.

A member of the senior executive team, Lucy leads on the delivery of the CAA's people and culture strategy. She brings a wealth of people and culture experience to the UK Civil Aviation Authority.

Prior to joining the CAA in April 2024, Lucy spent 10 years at the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the last six of which were as the executive team member and board advisor for People and Culture.

Her earlier career included senior posts at the Care Quality Commission, Healthcare Commission, Save the Children and the Metropolitan Police Service.

Matt Taylor

Dr Matt Taylor was appointed Chief Information Officer for the Civil Aviation Authority in 2018.

Matt became a member of the Executive Committee in April 2024. He is responsible for all aspects of technology provision to and by the Authority.

After a brief academic career, Matt held a variety of technology engineering and leadership roles in consultancy and financial services organisations prior to joining the CAA in 2010, and has held a number of different positions within the CAA since then.