Egis Strengthens UK Aviation Ambitions with Senior Leadership Appointment

Engineering and consultancy firm Egis has appointed Shakir Khaja as Aviation Sector Director for Europe and Africa as the company looks to expand its position within the UK and Ireland airport infrastructure market.

Based in London, Khaja will lead aviation sector growth across the region, supporting airport operators and infrastructure clients as the industry responds to increasing passenger demand, operational pressures, sustainability targets, and long-term expansion programmes.

The appointment reflects growing activity across the aviation sector, with airports throughout the UK and Europe investing heavily in capacity upgrades, operational resilience, decarbonisation strategies, and passenger experience improvements.

Khaja joins Egis from Arcadis, where he held the role of senior director for the aviation sector. He brings more than 25 years of experience working across major airport programmes, including Heathrow Airport, London City Airport, and Fraport Greece.

Egis currently supports more than 100 airports across over 40 countries, delivering services that span airport strategy, planning, engineering, programme delivery, and operational readiness. The company has been steadily increasing its presence in the UK and Ireland, identifying both markets as key areas for long-term infrastructure growth.

The aviation sector is currently undergoing significant transformation as airports balance rising passenger volumes with increasing environmental expectations and operational complexity. Many operators are investing not only in physical expansion projects but also in digital systems, energy efficiency, airfield optimisation, and resilience planning.

Against this backdrop, consultancy and engineering firms are competing to strengthen their aviation expertise and broaden their role within major airport investment programmes.

Earlier this year, Egis also appointed Francois Basselot as managing director for the UK and Ireland as part of a wider strategy to integrate operations across transport, rail, energy, and environmental sectors.

Khaja said the company sees a significant opportunity to bring together its international aviation experience to support airports across the UK, Ireland, and Europe as they navigate future challenges and opportunities.

His appointment comes at a time when the aviation industry is facing increasing pressure to modernise infrastructure while also meeting ambitious sustainability and decarbonisation targets. Airports are also being required to improve operational efficiency and passenger experience while managing ongoing regulatory and economic pressures.

For firms such as Egis, the combination of airport expansion, sustainability investment, and wider infrastructure modernisation is creating strong long-term opportunities across the sector.

As major UK aviation projects continue to evolve — including Heathrow expansion discussions, regional airport growth plans, and wider investment in sustainable aviation infrastructure — demand for specialist engineering, consultancy, and programme delivery expertise is expected to remain strong across the market.