Airport experts launch boutique advisory firm Auran

Trio of industry veterans bring over 60 years of combined experience to new commercial strategy consultancy

Jan. 28, 2026 at 8:07am

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Three renowned airport and transport infrastructure experts - Mark Entwistle, Alex Avery, and Kim Gray - have joined forces to create Auran, an independent advisory firm specializing in commercial strategy for airports, transport authorities, and complex passenger-led infrastructure assets. Collectively, the founding team has worked across more than 120 airports in over 50 countries, combining senior airport leadership roles and advisory mandates for major global hubs and developments.

Why it matters

The launch of Auran comes at a critical time for the aviation industry, as airports face increasing pressure to optimize commercial performance amid operational constraints and evolving passenger expectations. The firm aims to help clients navigate this complex environment and translate commercial ambition into actionable strategies that can be effectively implemented.

The details

Auran will provide senior-led advisory services across six core areas: commercial strategy, revenue forecasting, space planning, commercial due diligence, masterplanning advisory, and strategic customer insight. The firm's focus is on delivering pragmatic, operationally-grounded solutions that can be practically executed in live airport settings.

  • Auran was founded and launched in January 2026.

The players

Mark Entwistle

Auran co-founder with deep in-house operational leadership experience from senior airport commercial roles, particularly in governance, operating models, leasing structures, and delivery within complex and constrained environments.

Alex Avery

Auran co-founder who contributes a global consulting and cross-sector perspective, having previously led an international commercial advisory business with experience spanning commercial trends, performance analysis, and strategic advisory across multiple geographies and asset types.

Kim Gray

Auran co-founder with extensive experience in airport commercial strategy, leasing, category planning, and space optimization, having held senior roles spanning client-side leadership and global consultancy work across major airports worldwide.

Auran

An independent advisory firm specializing in commercial strategy for airports, transport authorities, and complex passenger-led infrastructure assets.

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What they’re saying

“From our experience working as operators, and having visibility across hundreds of airports globally, we see this pattern repeatedly: strategies can look good and sound good but ultimately aren't practical to implement.”

— Auran

“The common thread is realism. For airport operators and transport authorities, we help integrate commercial thinking into capital programmes and operational decisions. For investors, the focus is on understanding value, risk and upside in a commercially grounded way.”

— Auran

What’s next

The founders of Auran will be present at the upcoming Trinity Forum in Doha, Qatar, where they will be presenting a study exploring recent changes in passenger spend behavior and connecting with industry colleagues, partners, and stakeholders.

The takeaway

The launch of Auran underscores the growing need for airports to navigate the complex commercial environment they face, with the firm aiming to provide pragmatic, operationally-grounded advisory services to help clients translate commercial ambition into actionable strategies that can be effectively implemented.