Fraser Brown, Retail Director at Heathrow Airport since November 2018, will speak at Passenger Terminal Expo World 2026 on March 17. Appointed after serving as Managing Director at Heathrow Express for over four years, Brown previously held roles as Head of Travel Services at Gatwick Airport and Managing Director of Ultra Global PRT at Heathrow. In December 2020, he managed the property portfolio for two years. Earlier, he spent a decade in commercial roles at ExxonMobil across the UK, Belgium, and Spain, holding an economics degree and executive diplomas from INSEAD and London Business School.
Brown oversees Heathrow’s retail evolution under the four-pillar DESO strategy—Digital, Experience, Space, Offer—aiming for unique passenger experiences. A key initiative is the blended travel essentials strategy, announced following passenger feedback. Heathrow awarded contracts to WHSmith for Terminals 3, 4, and 5, including three global flagship stores with health, beauty, pharmacy, food, and bakery offerings, expanding to over 20 stores. Lagardère Travel Retail debuts RELAY stores in Terminal 2, covering 1,360m² across four locations: upper departures with pharmacy, lower-level books and food-to-go, a Discover souvenirs satellite, and a landside check-in store, launching early summer 2026.
“Our passengers are at the heart of everything we do, and we are excited to launch our new blended essentials approach for travel essentials as part of our transformational retail strategy,” Brown stated. This aligns with Heathrow’s £1.3bn 2026 investment, including Terminal 4 refurbishment by 2031, a Terminal 2 baggage system for 31,000 bags daily, AI stand cameras for faster turnarounds, and accessibility upgrades like a new Terminal 2 assistance area and Tailored Travel Guide.