HMSHost Names New President/CEO

Executive Vice President of Business Development Steve Johnson has been promoted to President/CEO of HMSHost, succeeding Tom Fricke, who will be leaving the company as his contract comes to completion.

Johnson has played a critical role in the growth and development of the business at HMSHost over the last 14 years, including overseeing the business development, design & construction, and restaurant development teams. He has led the winning and/or extending of major airport and motorway contracts, as well as the enhancement of HMSHost’s restaurant portfolio, including new proprietary concepts, and new international, national and local brand partnerships.

“Steve has demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities and the necessary ability to lead HMSHost into the future,” says Gianmario Tondato Da Ruos, Group CEO of HMSHost parent company Autogrill. “His expertise in client relations and delivering bottom line results are the right combination to secure HMSHost’s leadership position."

Autogrill, a leading international provider of f&b services for travellers, operates in 30 countries with 4,700 points of sale in more than a thousand locations, primarily under concession agreements in airports, on motorways and in railway stations, as well as in select shopping centres, trade fairs and museums. HMSHost operates in more than 100 airports around the globe, including the 20 busiest airports in North America, and has annual sales in excess of $2.7 billion.