Airport Experience® News - Leadership Issue 2025

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Right: With his elevation to the CEO role earlier this year, Mboya became the first Black leader of a major prime concessions operator in North America.

costs are also high due to tariffs, supply chain gaps, and fewer contractors willing to work in secure airport environments. Meanwhile, “customers want their meal fast, healthy, convenient, and affordable.” The SSP America Difference Against that backdrop, Mboya says SSP America is poised to lead. “Number one is our team,” he says. “They execute with efficiency, dedication, and passion.” SSP America also prides itself on bringing a “Taste of Place” to airports—local culinary soul delivered through strong partnerships. “Our brand and JV partners help us bring restaurants that define a region’s sense of place,” he adds. Partnerships with airports remain central. “Our success is tied to how well we partner,” Mboya says. “We listen, learn what airports want, and create programs that reflect and contribute to the community.” Kevin Burke, President and CEO of Airports Council International – North America, says Mboya “has strengthened SSP America’s partnership with airports across North America. His focus on operational excellence and understanding of airport needs have made a meaningful impact.”

Personal Philosophy Mboya relies on his Christian faith to guide his actions. “My faith keeps me humble, centered, and focused on others,” he says. He is also the first Black individual to lead a major North American concessions company—a responsibility he embraces. “Diverse leadership allows others to see what’s possible.”

“Representation matters,” Mboya says. “I represent a constituency that has not had the opportunity to be at the helm. But let me make it clear, it’s not about being the first, it is about being the first to set the trend so that others can follow it. If I am the first and I don’t do a good job, then I will be the last.” Eboni Wimbush, President and CEO of the Airport Minority Advisory Council, says she’s thrilled to see Mboya’s advancement at SSP America, and notes that he will also join the AMAC Board. ““George consistently advocates for the values AMAC stands for: access, opportunity, and partnership,” she notes. Mboya says he is eager to use his prominent role to help others on their career journeys, creating a pathway for mentorship and equitable opportunity. “It is not a small thing – it is a big responsibility,” Mboya says. “When people who have been in this industry for many years see somebody that looks like them sitting at the helm, it gives them hope. It gives them an opportunity to dream big.”

Below: SSP America CEO George Mboya makes connecting with the team – at both the corporate and the store level - a priority.

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AX NEWS DECEMBER 2025 / JANUARY 2026