Introducing… John Upton, Chief Experience Officer at CAVU
Meet John Upton, CAVU’s new Chief Experiences Officer, bringing global growth, bold leadership, and lounge expansion plans.
We’re excited to welcome John Upton to CAVU as our new Chief Experiences Officer.
With nearly three decades of experience across industries as varied as law, hospitality, and aviation, John brings a unique and energetic perspective to the team — and a whole lot of passion for creating exceptional customer journeys.
Getting to know John
What does your role involve?
“I’m delighted to have joined CAVU as Chief Experiences Officer. My main goal is to help us continue — and accelerate — the phenomenal growth we’re seeing across the Experiences business. That means opening new lounges around the world, helping our existing lounges keep growing and delighting customers, and, just as importantly, creating more opportunities for our talented people.”
Tell us a bit about your background — where has your career taken you so far?
“I’ve had quite a ride over the past 30 years… I started off as a corporate lawyer, moved on to making Big Macs at McDonald’s, and more recently ended up running an airport. With a few exciting roles in between! I’ve had many highlights, from running Hamburger University to turning around a couple of businesses in more recent years.”
What attracted you to CAVU?
“Reputation and the opportunity. And Martin, of course!”
And your first impression?
“Passionate, committed people with a clear mandate to grow.”
What are you most looking forward to this year?
“Seeing us open more lounges!”
Where will your focus lie in the months ahead?
“Finding ways for Experiences to operate better and grow quicker.”
How would you define good leadership?
“Providing clarity for the mission, underpinned by the right tools and resources, and enabling positive, constructive accountability.”
Quickfire round
CAVU in three words?
“Innovative. Passion. Future.”
Favourite way to switch off after work?
“Rolling a cricket wicket.”
Favourite airport — and why?
“Brisbane. Fabulous terminal and a great airport team to work with.”
City you’d fly back to in a heartbeat?
“Vancouver.”
Surprising fact?
“My first car — a brown Austin Allegro— was written off when a JCB drove into the back of it. I’ve been thankful to the JCB driver ever since! ”
Welcome to CAVU, John. We’re thrilled to have you on board and can’t wait to see where you take Experiences next.
