Finance beyond the numbers: Bristol Airport CFO, Andy Griffiths on leadership, data, and talent

As CFO of Bristol Airport, Andy Griffiths sees his role as more than managing numbers – it’s about being a partner to the business and the evolving skillset of finance professionals to engage with stakeholders and use data to drive business success.

In this interview, he shares his value-led approach to leadership, from adapting to workplace shifts and using data for smarter operations to tackling the challenge of retaining top talent in a hands-on industry.

 

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Andy, tell me about how you came to your role as CFO of Bristol Airport

I originally qualified as an accountant at PwC, though I never really saw myself as an auditor long-term. My career in the aviation sector really started when I became Group Financial Reporting Manager at Manchester Airport Group (MAG).

I stayed at MAG for 15 years, changing roles roughly every three years to keep learning and broaden my knowledge, skills and experience. I wanted to understand the business behind the figures and how finance could actively shape strategy. Moving through various senior finance roles, I gained experience in investment decisions, airport projects and commercial deals, ultimately becoming Group Financial Controller.

Leaving MAG was difficult, but to become a CFO, I needed broader industry experience. I joined a family-owned conglomerate, where I dealt with loss-making businesses, cash flow, refinancing, and restructuring. That role ultimately helped me secure my current position at Bristol Airport, which faced similar challenges during the pandemic.

What are the biggest challenges in building a strong finance team?

Attracting people with both strong financial and softer skills is a major challenge. Technical expertise is one thing, but engaging with stakeholders and influencing decision-making is equally important. Since the pandemic, we’ve seen a shift where many finance professionals prefer working remotely. But in our industry, being present and engaged on-site is crucial to understanding the bigger picture and strategic direction of the company.

Another challenge is keeping talent engaged in a lean team. People naturally want career progression, and this is more difficult in a flat structure, so we’re constantly looking at ways to retain top talent.

You’ve challenged yourself to pursue different roles throughout your career. Do you encourage that mindset in your team?

Absolutely, it's all about embracing new challenges and stepping out of your comfort zone. Historically, I've always pushed for growth beyond the typical nine-to-five. However, since Covid, things have changed. Many finance professionals now prefer development within regular working hours and often without the need to be physically present in the office. It's a shift in attitude, but it's important to adapt and find ways to support growth in this new environment.

How does the finance function need to evolve to address these shifts?

There’s a growing need for finance teams to become more data-driven, working closely with data specialists to ensure financial robustness while leveraging technology for better decision-making. At the same time, traditional career progression is changing, with lateral moves becoming more important for keeping employees engaged.

We’ve recently started a talent-mapping initiative to assess our workforce, identifying single points of failure, subject matter experts, and high-potential employees. This week, I discussed with my direct reports how we can foster more mobility. Historically, if a financial accountant left, we’d hire another one. Now, we’re considering whether an internal candidate, like a management accountant or risk specialist, could transition into that role.

You mentioned the growing impact of data in finance. How are you leveraging data to drive strategic decisions?

Airports generate vast amounts of data, and the challenge is harnessing it effectively. We now have a specialist team within our IT function just to help us collate and analyse this data.

One of the biggest advances has been automation. Previously, compiling an operational dashboard took a full day. Now, Power BI automates it, allowing us to focus on insights rather than data gathering. By integrating multiple sources from weather to passenger arrival times, we can analyse factors like security queues and aircraft turnaround efficiency in real time.

Could you give me an example of data strategy in action?

When a plane arrives, a lot of things need to happen. Steps need to be positioned, catering loaded, refuelling, water emptied, and so on. And if a departure was delayed, we used to rely on anecdotal explanations, for instance, "the fuel truck got stuck." Now, we use cameras to timestamp each process, allowing us to pinpoint inefficiencies and improve coordination.
 

We’re moving into an era where data is driving real operational improvements. But there’s still work to do, particularly in bridging the gap between data teams and the business.

Ground operators, with years of experience, may not immediately see how data can help them. A big part of the challenge is helping people understand what’s possible when data is harnessed effectively.

Have you seen new roles emerge at the C-suite level due to these changes?

Not necessarily new job titles, but definite shifts in focus. For example, we recently brought in a new People Director who is honing in on talent, capability, and reward structures to ensure we have the right skills for the future. Airports rely heavily on subject matter experts, so attracting and retaining top talent is a priority.

Similarly, in sustainability, we launched a strategy in late 2023 with ambitious goals – not just for carbon reduction but also for increasing public transport use, local employment, and reducing community impact. The scope of these roles has evolved significantly.

How do you balance short-term results with long-term business goals?

We always consider value across all stakeholders, whether that’s customers, employees, financial partners, or the local community. Shareholder returns are important, especially in an investment phase, but they must be balanced with long-term sustainability and operational priorities.

That’s one of finance’s biggest challenges. A business case might propose an investment that improves customer experience, but we also need to evaluate the financial return. Finance plays a key role in balancing these trade-offs and ensuring we see the full picture.

How does the finance team help guide wider business decisions?

We have a structured process. Every investment case follows a standard template that evaluates impact against our strategic priorities. Most stakeholders are familiar with it, but finance adds value by quantifying impacts, helping teams think through trade-offs, and ensuring we’re considering the full picture.

Ultimately, our role is evolving beyond traditional financial reporting to a more strategic function – driving business decisions through financial insight, data analysis, and cross-functional collaboration. Our goal is to ensure finance isn’t just a gatekeeper but a proactive partner in shaping the airport’s future.
 

Learn more about the emerging role of the Chief Value Officer

Download the report Chief Value Officer - The Important Evolution of the CFO

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