Barry Hughes rejoins firm he left in 2006

The architect behind the fit-out of the international departure lounge at Manchester Airport has recruited a new design director from HOK.

Barry Hughes rejoins Benoy after leaving more than 11 years ago and will be primarily based in London.

But he will work globally, with a brief to expand the studio’s business in America.

The £48m turnover business has 11 studios across the world but none in the US.

“Benoy’s experience and reputation in mixed-use and transportation led projects will be a great entré into the US market,” said Hughes.

Hughes has been a senior vice-president with HOK for the past 11 years and worked as an associate director at Benoy between 2003 and 2006.

The Texas Tech University graduate is a US citizen who has been working in the UK for the past 15 years. His earlier roles included two years as a design director with Dallas architects Omniplan and nine years as an associate vice president with RTKL.

Last week HOK announced that it had hired former Heatherwick Studio project leader Andrew McMullan as a vice president at its London office.