Unilode Aviation Solutions has appointed Ross Marino as chief executive officer, effective today (28 February).

He succeeds Benoit Dumont, who has stepped down from the position.

Marino has more than 30 years of aviation experience, having worked in numerous senior and executive management roles at global ground handling organisations and airlines. He had a 15-year career at dnata, one of the world’s largest providers of ground handling and air services, most recently holding the position of chief executive officer Europe.

“We are very pleased that Ross has joined Unilode as its new CEO and are confident that he is the right person to continue driving Unilode forward in these very exciting and challenging times of the aviation industry,” said Basalt Infrastructure Partners’ partner and head of Europe John Hanna. “Ross is a proven leader with exceptional strategic and business development vision and broad aviation industry experience, and we look forward to growing Unilode’s business together.

“I would like to thank Benoit Dumont for his leadership, commitment and dedication over the past four years. During his tenure Unilode undertook a massive transformation that saw the development of new services, the launch of digital solutions, the expansion of its network and the growth of its customer base. We wish Benoit the very best in his future endeavours and welcome Ross at the helm of Unilode.”

Dumont commented: “I am very proud of Unilode’s great achievements and thankful for the exceptional drive and dedication of Unilode’s staff, the trust and support of its customers and investors, and wish every success to the organisation and my successor Ross Marino.”

Marino said: “I am very excited to join Unilode in the role of chief executive officer and build on the great foundation and growth potential of the business. Unilode’s customer-focused and innovation-driven business strategy makes it well positioned for continued success. I look forward to continuing providing high quality services to our customers and developing the company with a clear ambition of capturing the opportunities in the markets we serve. I am committed to successfully leading Unilode in its next chapter of growth and look forward to working with my new team.”