BAA's new owner is already making its mark on the company

BAA, operator of Heathrow and Gatwick airports, was bought by a group headed by Spain's Ferrovial for �10bn earlier this month after a fierce bid battle.

The deal now has the support of investors owning 83% of BAA's shares.

BAA's existing five non-executive directors have resigned, to be replaced by 10 others including Ferrovial chief executive Joaquin Ayuso Garcia.

Those leaving the board include Tony Ball, former chief executive of BSkyB and Mark Clare, deputy chief executive of Centrica.

Ferrovial already has a significant presence in Great Britain, owning Belfast City airport and half of Bristol airport.

Its partners in the BAA consortium include Singapore and Canadian-based investment firms.