Régis Lacote (born 25 April 1972) is a French airport executive best known as the director of Paris-Orly Airport since February 2018. In that role he succeeded Marc Houalla, taking responsibility for one of France's busiest international gateways. His appointment placed him at the centre of operations, passenger services and strategic planning for the Orly complex Orly Airport.

Education and early career

Lacote trained as an engineer and specialist in airport management. He graduated from ESIEE Amiens in 1997 and completed a Mastère Spécialisé in airport management at the French Civil Aviation University (ENAC) the same year. His initial professional post, beginning in 1998, was as head of the safety department at Roland Garros Airport in Réunion, where he worked on operational safety and regulatory compliance.

Advancement and Paris Aéroport

In 2002 Lacote joined the Paris Aéroport group, which manages the main airports in the Paris region. Over the following years he held positions that combined operational oversight, safety, and coordination between airlines, ground handlers and regulatory bodies. In February 2018 he became head of Orly, replacing Marc Houalla, and assumed leadership of airport modernization and daily operations.

Role and responsibilities

As director of a major international airport, Lacote's remit covers:

  • day-to-day operational continuity and recovery planning;
  • passenger experience, terminal services and retail coordination;
  • security, safety management systems and regulatory compliance;
  • coordination with airlines, ground handlers and air navigation authorities;
  • long-term planning and infrastructure modernization within the Paris Aéroport network.

Directors of large airports also engage with local authorities and stakeholders on environmental, transport and community issues, balancing traffic growth with sustainability goals and evolving passenger expectations.

Notable context

Lacote's leadership of Orly comes at a time when major European airports address modernization, digital services and resilience to demand fluctuations. His technical background in safety and airport management is typical of senior airport executives, linking operational expertise with strategic responsibilities. For more on the airport and its organisation, see the Orly information pages here or the ENAC programme details here.