Air traffic control body NATS has announced that its chief executive Richard Deakin is standing down.
Deakin, who has been in the role for five years, will leave at the end of June.
NATS is seeking a replacement from internal and external candidates but said managing director of operations, Martin Rolfe, will take over on an interim basis.
Chairman Paul Golby said Deakin had led NATS ‘through a period of continued operational and financial improvement’.
"As the company embarks on the new regulatory period and prepares to implement the Single European Sky initiative, the board and Richard have agreed that now is an appropriate time to make a change to the leadership of the company, and to bring a new perspective and approach," he said.
"We would like to thank Richard and wish him well in the future."
The announcement comes after a computer glitch at the NATS centre at Swanwick in Hampshire before Christmas which caused disruption for 10,000 passengers at Heathrow and also hit flights to and from other UK and European airports.
Deakin was forced to apologise to MPs before the House of Commons transport committee.
