Airport Experience® News - Leadership Issue 2025

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As the new president of Paradies Lagardère, John Jamison brings a proven record of ingenuity and fresh vision to the iconic airport retailer and restaurateur. He began his career at the company in 2021 as Chief Financial Officer, after 18 years in various leadership roles at The Home Depot, including Vice President of Finance. Over the past five years at Paradies Lagardère, Jamison has worked closely with CEO Gregg Paradies to chart a pioneering course for the company and its 10,000 employees across 700 stores and restaurants in more than 90 airports. In this interview, he discusses his customer‑first philosophy, his plans to stay ahead of the technology curve, and his goals for growing the company through innovation and guest experience. Before joining Paradies Lagardère, you spent a significant part of your career at The Home Depot. How has that experience in large-scale operations and customer service shaped the way you approach your new role? One thing instilled in me early in my career that still resonates here is this — the customer is always first. The strategy Gregg and I developed for the next five years anchors directly to the belief that the customer experience is our business model. We’ve broken that down into three components: Customer Service, Product and Menu Offer, and the Store Experience. That framework will guide our priorities and investments over the coming years. Technology and AI are reshaping the travel experience. How do you see these tools helping Paradies Lagardère streamline operations, reduce friction for associates, and deliver more efficient service for travelers? Our philosophy is to be purposeful in the use of technology. For us, that means creating value for our customers by solving real problems. For example, travelers typically spend roughly E lEvating thE t ravElEr J ournEy : n Ew P aradiEs l agardèrE P rEsidEnt J ohn J amison s harEs h is E xPEriEncE and i nsights

100 minutes in the airport, but after security and queuing at the gate for boarding, they only have 30 minutes to dine and shop. As a result, we are laser‑focused on improving the shopability of our retail stores through AI insights, automating ordering and checkout experiences, and improving the speed of service in our restaurants through simple, useful technology. The industry faced a unique landscape in 2025. What challenges are top of mind for you, and where do you see the biggest opportunities in 2026? 2025 was tougher than expected. We knew volumes would slow from the hyper‑growth of recent years, but it slowed more than anticipated. Still, we’re going to have the biggest sales year in our history, thanks to frontline associates delivering performance. We have the best team in the industry, and I appreciate their hard work. 2025 was also successful from a business development standpoint. COVID distorted RFP timing, and now we’re in an intense period. Our Chief Development Officer David Bisset has done an amazing job leading his team and achieving a win rate above our market share, and we’re very proud of that. I would also like to acknowledge the important role our field teams play in our business development success. Their high level of performance on a daily basis and constant focus on relationships in each airport make a huge difference in the outcomes of tenders. As for 2026, it should be a more normal year where we return to long‑term averages, and I expect the momentum we have in business development to continue. As the company grows, how do you ensure the culture, service standards, and reputation that have made Paradies Lagardère one of the industry’s leading operators remain strong?