Frank Cortes is a seasoned expert in the airport industry with extensive experience in aviation and commercial management. He currently serves as the Director of Public and Commercial Venues Management at King Salman International Airport, where he leads the strategic development of commercial spaces and real estate assets within one of the most significant airport projects in the Middle East.
Frank has deep expertise in travel retail, particularly in the development and management of duty free and other commercial spaces in major international airports. His insights into culturally appropriate consumer behaviour, retail optimization, and brand partnerships have led to significant growth in airport retail revenues.
He serves as a key representative for King Salman International Airport at prestigious global industry events like TFWA in Cannes and Future Travel Experience, where he shares his strategic vision for the future of airport retail.
Before his current role, Frank held positions focused on asset commercialization and the expansion of retail spaces, where he successfully enhanced customer experiences and boosted profitability with brands, retailers, and airports. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management with a minor in diversity, inclusion, and interculturality, and he continues to sharpen his expertise in commercial strategy and aviation-related venues.
PRESENTATION
John Rimmer has worked in the duty free and travel retail industry since 2000, when he joined trade journal Duty-Free News International as a reporter. Within three years he had been appointed editor of sister publication Travel Retailer International, before becoming editor of DFNI a year later.
In 2006 he relocated to Paris, where he joined retailer Aelia (part of the Lagardère group) as Deputy Director of Business Development, helping the company to develop its presence at airports beyond France. Four years later he returned to the UK to become Executive Director Business Development at leading trade publisher The Moodie Report. In October 2012 John returned to Paris to join Tax Free World Association as Conference, Research and Corporate Affairs Director, tasked with strengthening the Association’s services to its members across the world.
In October 2017 John was appointed Managing Director of TFWA, responsible for the day-to-day running of the Association and its two major exhibitions, TFWA World Exhibition & Conference and TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference. John left TFWA in late 2023 to establish his own consultancy, and currently works with a number of clients in the travel retail sector.
John has moderated several industry conferences around the world, including TFWA China’s Century Conference, the TFWA Asia Pacific Conference, the World Travel Market, the MEADFA Conference and the Trinity Forum.
John holds an MA in Modern and Medieval Languages from the University of Cambridge.
