Visal Leng is President and CEO, Asia Pacific, GE Oil & Gas. With more than 20 years of Industrial experience at GE, Visal has held roles of increasing responsibility in Sales, Finance and Quality across the Plastics, Infrastructure, Water and Oil & Gas businesses primarily in Europe and Asia. Visal holds a master’s degree in civil engineering from the Ecole Spéciale des Travaux Publics of Paris, France.
Tony Mathis has been promoted to Vice President and General Manager of GE Aviation’s Military Systems Organization. Tony joined GE in 1997 after serving in the United States Air Force, where he focused on flight test and propulsion project engineering. Over the next 19 years, Tony held roles of increasing responsibility, most recently as the Senior Account Executive for GE Aviation at Boeing Commercial Airplanes in Seattle, WA. Tony has received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Clemson University; a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from California State University, Fresno; and a master’s degree in business administration from Xavier University.
Jennifer Waldo has been promoted to Vice President Chief Human Resources Officer, GE Digital. Jennifer joined GE in 2001 as part of GE’s Human Resources Leadership Program (HRLP) and held off number of leadership roles at GE Aviation before becoming the leader of Human Resources at GE Digital. Jennifer earned her bachelor’s degree in political philosophy and her master’s degree in human resources and labor relations from Michigan State University.
Ali Ahmed Alnaqbi, Founding Chairman of the Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA), has been elected Vice Chairman of the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) Governing Board. The three-year appointment commenced in January 2017 following his election in December last year.
The IBAC Governing Board serves the diverse needs of business aviation across the globe and is involved in all ICAO forums that affect business aviation, in addition to directing the council.
“I am honoured to have been elected to the Vice Chairman position of the IBAC Board,” Alnaqbi said. “This opportunity to guide the business aviation sector is a perfect synergy with my passion for the industry and previous achievements. I look forward to driving the industry forward in the next three years in this role.”
This is a key milestone for Alnaqbi and a testament to the incredible success MEBAA has achieved in the 10 years since its founding. MEBAA received IBAC approval almost immediately after its inception, when Alnaqbi announced his intention to unite the business aviation community in the Middle East and North Africa under a single banner representing 25 counties throughout the region.
In addition, MEBAA has had a significant impact on drafting legislation and rules specific to business aviation in the entire region. As a result of these successes along with Alnaqbi’s tireless commitment and dedication to business aviation he is the first Arab to hold this position within the international council, after previously serving as the treasurer for three years.
Boeing and the US Air Force recently signed a Global Positioning System (GPS) sustainment agreement that will ensure the navigation capabilities relied upon by millions of military and commercial users remain robust for years to come.
Under the agreement, Boeing will support GPS IIA and IIF satellites currently on orbit for the next five years. Boeing, which has been the prime GPS contractor for more than 40 years, is now part of the Air Force effort that may lead to the next generation of GPS satellites.
“This agreement continues Boeing’s strong legacy of GPS innovation and mission support,” said Dan Hart, vice president, Government Satellite Systems. “We are focused on delivering reliable, affordable and resilient GPS capability now and for generations to come.”
Collectively, Boeing GPS satellites have accrued more than 550 years of on-orbit operation. In March 2016, the company delivered its 50th GPS satellite on orbit to the Air Force and has built more than two-thirds of the GPS satellites that have entered service since 1978.
CHAMP Cargosystems has successfully completed US-based cargo carrier Kalitta Air’s implementation of its Weight & Balance application used to manage its load planning more effectively. With its fleet of sixteen Boeing 747 freighters, Kalitta Air is one of the leading cargo carriers in the US. Kalitta Air has a rigorous focus on productivity and has successfully obtained FAA approval for the usage of CHAMP’s Weight & Balance application with its freighter fleet.
“Kalitta Air is delighted with its decision with CHAMP’s Weight & Balance, and is confident it will be a key benefit for the months and years to come,” says Conrad Kalitta, CEO, Kalitta Air. “Integrating this software is proof that using the most up-to-date IT solutions will reduce fuel consumption, and improve accuracy with a highly effective automated process.”
“The ongoing relationship with Kalitta Air and CHAMP’s Weight & Balance has been a natural fit. The software is right at home with Kalitta’s expanding fleet. Kalitta’s devotion to accuracy in its processes will make load planning ever more efficient and effective,” says Nicholas Xenocostas, Vice President Global Sales and Marketing at CHAMP Cargosystems. “We are confident this is only the start of a long and mutually beneficial relationship.”
CHAMP’s Weight & Balance solution is a new generation java based, modular built application enabling airlines to efficiently and safely plan all aircraft loads, however complex. The application also helps the user keep the aircraft within permissible center of gravity limits throughout the flight. CHAMP’s Weight & Balance currently is one of the most advanced and fastest load planning software in the market, with functionality also encompassing an auto-load option on multiple legs.
The software not only ensures compliance with all operational and safety requirements, but also enables comprehensive audit trails and reporting, providing further business intelligence into the fleet’s overall performance.
Accelya, a leading provider of financial and commercial solutions to the airline industry, and Mercator, a global provider of product-enabled solutions to the travel and transportation industry, recently announced their intention to combine, creating a leading global technology-enabled solutions provider to airlines, travel agents and freight forwarders. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Together, Accelya and Mercator will offer a broadened product portfolio with complementary offerings including revenue accounting, revenue management and revenue assurance, cargo management, payment solutions, data analytics, cost management and commercial solutions.
Customers of Accelya and Mercator will benefit from enhanced product and technology capabilities, which will ensure the continued development of innovative solutions for the travel industry. With a global footprint and more than 400 clients worldwide, including 250 airlines, the new company will be at the forefront of automation, helping customers manage their financial processes more efficiently, minimizing revenue leakages, reducing operational costs and optimizing management of their indirect distribution channel. The combined company will have pro forma annual revenues in excess of $200 million, with the scale to make investments in products and technology in order to remain at the cutting edge of innovation and service quality.
John Johnston, Chief Executive Officer of Accelya, commented, “Accelya has always focused on delivering exceptional customer service and I believe that together with Mercator, our customer offering will be significantly broadened. I am excited about the opportunity to work together with the Mercator team to drive further growth, expand the product offering and introduce new technologies.”
Cormac Whelan, Chief Executive Officer of Mercator, commented, “The combination of Mercator and Accelya will deliver tremendous value to our customers through enhanced and broadened solutions, together with a significant focus on new product development. I look forward to working with John as we integrate the two companies.”
Warburg Pincus, a global private equity firm focused on growth investing, will be the majority shareholder in the combined company following its acquisition of Accelya from Chequers Capital. Members of management will also have ownership interests in the combined company.
Adarsh Sarma, a Managing Director of Warburg Pincus, added, “We see very compelling growth opportunities in the combination of Accelya and Mercator. Together, these two best-in-class companies will provide an improved and broadened suite of products and services to their customers whilst continuing to be at the forefront of new product innovation and development.”
Stéphane Mulard, Partner at Chequers Capital, added, “We are delighted to have supported the Accelya management team in developing the company over the last ten years. We wish the combined business the best for the future as it enters its next exciting growth phase.”
The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2017. Warburg Pincus was advised by Citi (M&A) and Freshfields (Legal Counsel). Accelya and Chequers Capital were advised by Evercore and BNP Paribas (M&A) and Ashurst (Legal Counsel).
The inaugural Airport Solutions Mexico 2017, part of the Airport Solutions Global Series of events, is being officially sponsored by Schneider Electric, a software solutions provider.
The two-day Airport Solutions Mexico exhibition and conference will be held 3-4 May 2017 at the Centro Citibanamex, Mexico City and is expected to attract more than 2,000 B2B buyers and 200 delegates. It is unique in that it will bring together the industry’s entire buying chain, providing a platform to connect suppliers with stakeholders and decision makers whilst assessing key issues and solutions in the international conference programme.
Diego Bianchini, Schneider Electric’s Senior Channel Manager for Mexico & Central America Software stated, “Our software solutions help customers to increase efficiency and profitability, improve information and decision-making and meet statutory and validation requirements. The solution enables them to manage a large number of processes in an integrated and simultaneous manner under a single platform – even with so many devices and signals with distinct technological languages. Mexico´s airport project can become a successful AeroMetropolis as it has the scale and volume, if planning and efficiency can be achieved and we can help to achieve it.”
Schneider Electric will be presenting in the high level two day conference, on a success story in a similar Airport using their software: “The centralisation offered by Wonderware technology is essential. It allows us to respond to incidents rapidly and be proactive in making process improvements, because now we have real-time unified information available to us for analysis.”
Visit www.airportsolutions.com to find out more about other shows in the series or email info@airportsolutions.com.
Delegates from the European Commission (EC) and the Innovation and Network Executive Agency (INEA) have visited the Marseille Air Traffic Control Centre (ACC) in France, one of two sites testing the new generation air traffic control (ATC) system, 4-FLIGHT.
The delegation was accompanied by representatives of SESAR Deployment Manager (SDM), and the visit was hosted by the Direction des Services de la Navigation Aérienne (DSNA) and the Marseille ACC.
The 4-FLIGHT programme, which is being co-financed by the European Union (EU), is designed in response to the high increase in air traffic in Europe, and features the core elements needed to modernise the French en-route air traffic management system. This new generation, stripless control system integrates the future Coflight flight data processing system, an interface (HMI) proposing innovative control tools, and the simulation environment for controller transitioning. Among expected benefits is an increase of around 10 per cent in overall capacity, as well as the enabling of DSNA to offer higher quality and more competitive services to all aircraft operators.
Currently, the first operational version of 4-FLIGHT is under preparation in the two pilot-centres – the Marseille and Reims centres. Technical and operational evaluation sessions are being carried out. The first tests with live traffic will be held in January and March 2017 and development of subsequent versions of the programme will continue afterwards.
During the visit to Marseille ACC, delegates were led through a series of presentations, discussions, and guided through the 4-FLIGHT supervisory and simulation rooms.
The visit was the last of four in 2016 aimed to recognise concrete results from a timely and successful implementation of Pilot Common Project – six essential Air Traffic Management functionalities co-financed by the EC, to facilitate comprehensive and synchronised deployment. Details of the upcoming project visits in 2017 will be announced in the coming weeks.
Logistics network WCA Ltd and global wholesale trading platform Alibaba.com, recently announced they have concluded a co-operation agreement that will see approved WCA member companies integrated into the Alibaba.com logistics platform for cross-border eCommerce shipments.
WCA will provide its professional support in vetting and approving international logistics providers for high quality and efficient logistics services for the customers of Alibaba.com. Approved providers will have full access to compete for logistics orders generated on the Alibaba.com platform.
WCA and Alibaba.com have agreed parameters and standards of service, as well as offering all participants a protection scheme that includes compensation for qualifying transactions.
“The fact that Alibaba.com has recognised the quality, global strength and professionalism of WCA and its members will open up vast new opportunities for business growth for independent freight forwarders”, said Dan March, WCA’s Chief Executive Officer.
“Many of our member companies are already heavily involved in many facets of cross-border eCommerce logistics. The strict qualification process for our newly-formed WCA eCommerce network will provide reassurance that the services provided by our members can facilitate merchants on Alibaba.com to accelerate their global trading.”
The collaboration commenced in January 2017, facilitating shipments generated by Alibaba.com’s members to be made to the major export markets of the USA, India and the UK.
Third party logistics (3PL) provider, RSA Logistics, recently announced that it has expanded its operations to Dubai Investments Park (DIP) with a new warehousing facility strategically located within the DIP complex to serve customers with faster distribution in the local markets.
The new facility will add to RSA Logistics’ existing contract logistics capability and complements established facilities in Dubai South and Jebal Ali. The warehouse, which spreads across 2500 sqm with a total capacity of 2500 pallets, is designed to store general cargo and handle a diverse range of product categories including fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and beauty products. It will offer an extensive range of value added services such as distribution, cross documentation and ecommerce to meet diverse customer requirements with international standards.
The facility is strategically located to take advantage of the modern transport infrastructure, with easy access to both Jebel Ali port and Al Maktoum International Airport. Moreover, the facility is very close to Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed road which connects to the industrial and commercial areas of Al Quoz in less than 20 mins and covers Dubai and Sharjah in less than 45 mins each.
Kerry Logistics Network Limited, Asia’s leading logistics service provider, has continued to expand its European operations through acquiring Multi Logistics GmbH, a specialist film and media logistics provider that has been in the market for over 30 years.
The expansion is part of Kerry Logistics’ continual global development plan and will add four offices and bring in additional logistics expertise to its existing resources and network in Germany.
The acquisition will see Kerry Logistics expand to operate seven offices in Germany, including its regional headquarters in Frankfurt as well as Bremen, Hamburg, Munich and Berlin, each offering its local and multinational customers international freight forwarding (ocean/air/road), warehousing and distribution and Customs brokerage, as well as innovative and customised supply chain solutions.
Besides its international freight forwarding operations, Multi Logistics’ service portfolio includes door-to-door service, personal support service for film productions, security transport, storage of film copies, and handling of rental equipment, as well as Carnet A.T.A. preparation, and handling.
Through the acquisition, Kerry Logistics will gain access to Multi Logistics’ expertise, core competency, and specialised know-how of the film and media industry.
“We have had offices for integrated logistics and international freight forwarding in the country for many years, offering customers total supply chain solutions from origin to destination,” said Thomas Blank, Managing Director of Europe, Kerry Logistics.
“The expansion is in line with our strategy to accelerate the business development of the European market, and we are pleased to be able to provide our clients with enhanced network coverage, additional service offerings across Europe, and a further optimised local customer service in Germany.”
The move comes three weeks after Kerry Logistics’ expansion in Spain with the takeover of the freight forwarding businesses of Bofill & Arnan, S.A., a logistics and freight forwarding company with a focus on the China, Taiwan, and India trade lanes.
Technology has made the world smaller and faster.Real time communication with people from all over the world at different time zones through phones and gadgets
