Former William Fry managing partner Bryan Bourke has been appointed as chair of AirNav Ireland, a newly established commercial semi-State body.

The move is part of a shake-up of aviation regulation that will also see lawyer Rose Hynes become chair of the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA).

The establishment of the IAA and AirNav Ireland, was provided for under the Air Navigation and Transport Act 2022.

Stand-alone body

The changes involve the establishment of a single national aviation regulator, through the merging of the aviation-safety and security regulatory functions of the IAA with the economic and consumer-protection functions of the Commission for Aviation Regulation.

The IAA’s existing commercial air-navigation and air-traffic-management-services functions will be set up as a stand-alone body to be known as AirNav Ireland.

The new entity is expected to separate from the IAA by the end of April 2023.

Both appointments were made under the Public Appointments Service process.

Bourke led corporate practice

Rose Hynes was first appointed as chair of the IAA in early 2021. She has more than 30 years of experience in the aviation industry, both at senior executive and board level.

A law graduate of UCD, she is also an associate of the Irish Tax Institute, and of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Bryan Bourke is a consultant with William Fry’s corporate and M&A group, having been managing partner from 2014 until November 2020.

He had previously led William Fry’s corporate practice.

He had previously led William Fry’s corporate practice.