Navin Nitish brings a proven track record of over two decades with ArchTam, most recently serving as Vice President and Aviation Market Sector Leader in the New York Metro, while also leading P3, alternative delivery and cargo projects for aviation in our global Transportation business line. In his new regional role, Navin will be instrumental in aligning our aviation strategy with emerging market opportunities and major pursuits at airports throughout the eastern U.S. and across Latin America. His leadership draws on decades of experience delivering complex aviation projects and redefining the passenger journey at some of the world’s busiest airports.

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry.

When I first came to the U.S. from India as a 21-year-old to pursue my master’s degree in engineering, I was struck by the scale and magnitude of American infrastructure. It felt grand and inspiring. But when I began working in aviation, I quickly noticed that airports here weren’t living up to their reputations.

In the early 2000s, much of the focus for U.S. airports was on security in the post-9/11 environment, and investment in upgrading airport infrastructure and the passenger experience lagged behind. At the same time, airports around the world were setting new benchmarks for modern, customer-friendly air travel. That contrast motivated me to be part of the solution that restores U.S. airports to a level that matches their pioneering history. ArchTam gave me the opportunity to partner with the best of our industry to kickstart forward-thinking change. More than two decades later, my goal remains the same: to create a strong, positive impact on modern aviation.

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?

JFK International Airport has always held personal meaning for me. When I first arrived in the U.S. in August 2001, a fellow traveler pointed out the Twin Towers to me through the airplane window. A month later, they were gone. That memory has stayed with me, and years later, working on JFK projects felt like my way to give back.

The redevelopment of American Airlines’ Terminal 8 at JFK stands out as a career highlight. I was involved from start to finish — pursuing the project as capture manager focused on the client, positioning ArchTam during business development and ultimately delivering it as project manager.

The project required careful coordination, from new gates and concourse expansions to interior renovations, baggage handling upgrades and a new flagship lounge. I oversaw phased design and construction to minimize operational disruption, establishing clear communication between American Airlines, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, contractors and design teams. Together, we overcame complex challenges and delivered the project on time and within budget.

It was also the first terminal redevelopment to advance under the Port Authority’s $20 billion JFK vision plan, setting the tone for those that followed. When COVID-19 halted much of the industry, American Airlines chose to keep investing. Leading our team through that period was a defining professional experience.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

Another airport of great importance to me is Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW). I was there in 2009–2010, when the city was in the midst of a severe economic downturn. GM had declared bankruptcy, the auto industry was struggling and the airport faced a hiring freeze. During that time, ArchTam was engaged as Engineer of Record for a major runway reconstruction project at DTW, funded through a federal grant that required us to design and deliver on an accelerated schedule.

In my role as client liaison, I worked on-site as an extension of the airport’s staff, keeping the project on track and ensuring timely responses to contractors and regulators. The project’s impact extended far beyond the runways, reaching the designers, engineers, builders and union workers whose livelihoods at the airport supported the broader Detroit community, including people who owned and worked in stores, restaurants and other small businesses. For me, that’s the true reward: knowing our work created lasting economic and social value while improving the experience of millions of travelers.

Share a piece of career advice.

Keep your hand up when opportunities arise. Early in my career, I asked a senior leader for advice and his response was simple: “Be ready to pack your bags and go where opportunity comes.” I took that advice to heart, and it led me from Texas to Detroit, to Tampa and New York, and each move offered new challenges and growth. It wasn’t always easy, but every relocation became a career-defining experience. Most recently, it guided me to accept my new role as Aviation Strategy and Growth Lead for the U.S. East and LATAM. In this position, I’m able to continue making substantial, positive impacts on aviation projects across the region. Just as importantly, I’ll be helping clients realize their vision while shaping the future of the passenger experience.

ArchTam is a company that opens doors across the globe — and if you’re willing to step through, the rewards and the relationships can be tremendous.

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Navin Nitish is our aviation market sector lead in the United States. Navin has extensive knowledge in global aviation portfolio management and has worked on airports across New York and New Jersey to help deliver efficient operations, enhanced passenger experiences and optimized airport processes.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself – your role and career journey   

I’ve always been fascinated with how goods and people move and the ability for cities to stay connected through transportation, whether that’s through air, land or sea, which led me to pursue Civil Engineering at Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT) in Nagpur, India. During my master’s engineering program at Texas A&M University, I developed an interest in airports, transportation engineering and materials of construction, which led me to join ArchTam. Here I honed my expertise in surface transportation and aviation engineering and broadened my scope to encompass all aspects of airports.

At ArchTam, I’ve worked in multiple client and ArchTam offices right across the United States including Texas, Michigan, Florida, New Jersey and New York where I’ve gained insights from various clients on regional challenges, work cultures and management. While working at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) I had the opportunity to work really closely with The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) to learn airport functions and operational procedures, in conjunction with the requirements of various stakeholders and jurisdictional agencies while managing many projects as project manager.

I now have multiple roles in ArchTam Global Aviation. I oversee the entire aviation portfolio across New York and New Jersey, handling planning, design, program management, and public-private partnerships. I also lead our global air cargo/hangar sector, alternate delivery and digital practice, fuelling my passion for transportation’s dynamic movement across the globe.

2. Talk to us about a project that has impacted or been a major highlight of your career. How is it solving the challenges and issues our clients and communities are facing today? 

A major highlight of my career at ArchTam is my work on the expansion of American Airlines’ JFK Terminal 8, which became operational in December 2022. ArchTam had designed and managed construction of this original terminal, initially designed to be the largest at JFK Airport. The size and complexity of the project provided me with the opportunity to step into a leadership role, establishing effective communication protocols and collaboration with a range of internal and external stakeholders such as American Airlines, Holt Construction and PANYNJ. 

When our client, American Airlines, faced a critical situation with their hangars at neighboring LaGuardia Airport, we were able to help them retain possession of their hangars by providing creative solutions for the rehabilitation of these historic hangars, with minimal capital investment. This helped to build the strength of our relationship with American Airlines and led to our team winning the procurement and working on the expansion of the JFK Terminal 8 to relocate British Airways from Terminal 7 and One-World Alliance partners to collocate within Terminal 8.

This project not only remained within budget and schedule but also showcased our diverse capabilities across architecture, building services, sustainability, civil, site, airside and utilities engineering as well as high-performance design. This marked a pivotal moment for ArchTam in the aviation sector, setting the stage for subsequent major terminal redevelopments at JFK currently designed/constructed by ArchTam worth around $7 billion and a career defining project for me.

3. In what ways have you collaborated with clients to align digital strategies with their vision for enhancing the passenger experience?

Addressing digital strategies and passenger experience require separate considerations.

At JFK Terminal One, a vital challenge was identifying subsurface conditions. We worked in collaboration with our global digital and enterprise capabilities (EC) teams to develop a 3D model with automated conflict detection for utilities underneath congested areas. We incorporated computational and parametric design by integrating principal design geometry from Autodesk AutoCAD with Revit to automate 3D modelling, with parametric components and leveraging Autodesk’s visual programming platform Dynamo. This workflow supports civil disciplines such as concrete and steel bridge structures and civil utilities – pipe networks. Our ability to develop and implement computation/parametric design for those utilities and later on for the elevated bridge structures, allowed ArchTam to have a better product for our client, subsequently alleviating their apprehensions associated with these challenges, ensuring the project was delivered safely and on time positively impacted the passenger experience.

4. In your opinion, what emerging or future trends do you believe will significantly impact the aviation sector? How do you foresee these trends shaping the industry?

Globally, the aviation industry is undergoing a fundamental shift away from fossil fuels. Sustainable aviation fuel, hydrogen, nitrogen, and electrification are emerging as viable alternatives. As we continue to focus on complex infrastructure integration, ArchTam has a crucial role to play in enabling this transition.

The other aspect is connectivity. Since airports can’t be built everywhere, Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) solutions are emerging as alternative modes of transport to move passengers by air. Globally, eVTOLs are bridging airport-deficient areas and ArchTam is very much at the forefront of designing and developing the vertiport infrastructure needed for eVTOLs to really take off.

The third item is alternate delivery. In North America, we’re seeing a shift towards design-build contracts as well as public-private partnerships. This streamlines procurement and procurement processes – a trend we must embrace. The U.S. aviation sector must adapt to align with European, Australian and Asian practices, fostering efficient collaborations and partnerships with private sector, financiers, operators, contractors will help airport owners to ultimately get a better product for airport infrastructure.

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