Maastricht Aachen Airport has appointed Dean Boljuncic as the head of its new sales department.
As head of commercial development for the Dutch gateway, Boljuncic will support the sustainable growth of the airport, with a particular focus on promoting strategic partnerships with Dutch aviation parties, forwarders and airlines.
In addition to attracting new customers and managing existing partnerships, Boljuncic will also be in charge of adding new routes, capacity and volumes for the airport.
Previously head of aviation development and partnerships at Eindhoven Airport, Boljuncic has also served as a pilot in the Croatian Air Force as well as held various positions at Pula International Airport in Croatia.
Jonas van Stekelenburg, chief executive of Maastricht Aachen Airport, said: “Dean is the right person to lead our new sales department – he is already full of enthusiastic ideas to boost our passenger and cargo operations.
“He has a proven track record of improving European airports and his experience as a pilot and training in aviation also gives him a unique perspective on the operational side of the role.”
Boljuncic commented: “My mission is not only to strengthen the long-term economic position of Maastricht, but also to make it more sustainable by reducing emissions and noise pollution.”
He continued: “Sustainability cannot be an afterthought – we must take the environment and climate into account when making business decisions.”
In the coming weeks, Boljuncic is expected to work for the airport on the launch of a regional freight community supported by Air Cargo Netherlands.
Van Stekelenburg – formerly head of cargo at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol – was himself only appointed recently as interim chief executive at Maastricht to lead an “ambitious growth program”.
The airport’s new holding company, NV HBLM, said that the appointment would drive forward the gateway’s strategic goals of sustainability, digitalization, and cargo and passenger traffic development.
The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) formally inducted Jean-Claude Delen, former CEO BENELUX and France for DHL Global Forwarding and former President of FIATA into the Hall of Fame this week during the Executive Summit 2023.
Jean-Claude Delen known for his long and distinguished career and his tireless energy and leadership in promoting the value of the freight forwarding community and for establishing a new era of collaborative relations between IATA and FIATA and for inspiring countless young people to follow in his inimitable footsteps into the world of logistics.
“I am truly humbled to be acknowledged by the industry for my work throughout the years and grateful that the induction was performed in the SkyHall, a location I have walked through so many times throughout my career. I thank all of those that have supported me. And remember my motto that I have abided by “Nobody is perfect on his own, but a team can be.” said Jean-Claude Delen.
“Jean-Claude Delen has made huge impacts within air cargo by shining a light on the freight forwarding community and pushing for an industry that works together cohesively. We are proud to have inducted Jean-Claude into the Hall of Fame.” stated Sebastiaan Scholte, Chair of TIACA’s Chairman’s Council.
WCAworld, which describes itself as “the world’s largest and most powerful network of independent freight forwarders”, has appointed a new e-commerce director and a new director of its World Parcel Alliance (WPA).
Harald Oechsner has joined WCAworld as director – e-commerce and Steve Howard has joined the network as director of the newly formed WPA.
Both men report directly to chairman David Yokeum. They will offer “greater opportunities and industry-leading expertise”, WCAworld said, to help members grow their e-commerce and final mile businesses.
Oechsner has worked closely with WCAworld members for more than 25 years. He has lived and worked in over 11 countries and has held senior positions in multinational logistic companies.
Howard brings to WCAworld over 33 years of experience in the trucking and final mile industry in the Americas. He is a past president of the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association, having been on its board for 14 years.
Chairman David Yokeum commented: “We have listened to member feedback and appreciate that our members need additional support and opportunities to grow their e-commerce and final mile businesses, and this is why we’re investing now in our e-commerce network and have established the World Parcel Alliance.”
WCAworld’s WPA was created with the purpose of supporting the express delivery and logistics industry. Its core focus is to act as a provider of choice for big international e-commerce companies like Alibaba, Wish and Shein, to enable them to reach new markets and provide a seamless customer experience to the consumer.
“The World Parcel Alliance recently held its first conference which demonstrated the exciting prospect of bringing together the best and most innovative last-mile providers,” Yokeum informed.
WCAworld has more than 12,000 member offices across 196 countries.
Raytheon Saudi Arabia has appointed Ahmad Al Salamah as managing director.
Al Salamah will be responsible for advancing the company’s business growth objectives, supporting the Kingdom’s defense capabilities, and building on the ongoing defense localization work of Raytheon Saudi Arabia.
“I am delighted to join Raytheon Saudi Arabia; this is a company with a proud legacy of providing security for critical infrastructure and the citizens and residents of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for nearly sixty years,” said Al Salamah. “My ambition is to work closely with government and industry partners, and to leverage RTX’s global expertise, to ensure Raytheon Saudi Arabia is a key partner for the country’s vibrant defense ecosystem, an enabler of the indigenous supply chain, and one of the most desirable places to work for people in the Kingdom.”
Paul Cunningham has been appointed as a regional representative of BIFA – the British International Freight Association, covering its South and Southwest Region.
Cunningham joins several other regional representatives who support and engage with BIFA members across the UK and are the trade associations ‘eyes and ears’ at a local level in each of its regions.
With many years of experience of the freight and logistics industry, he has been working at board level for over 20 years, helping to transform businesses of various sizes and leading them to profitable growth.
Cunningham has worked in multiple sectors, including e-commerce, retail, FMCG, engineering and logistics services, creating detailed global supply chain strategies and operational solutions that have been successfully implemented.
His previous roles include CEO of SkyNet Worldwide Express, and Vice President at DHL Global Forwarding UK. He was also a partner at LCP Consulting (now part of independent management and technology consultancy, Bearing Point) where he advised various global businesses and worked extensively in Europe, China, and the USA.
Cunningham has an MSc in Logistics and Transport from Cranfield University; is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and is a member of its Policy Group for Freight and Logistics, which advises industry and government.
BIFA Director General Steve Parker comments: “We have made clear our strategy to further raise BIFA’s profile with our members as well as enhance engagement with them.
“Paul’s appointment, which follows that of Andrew Melton in July, will help strengthen and support our engagement with our members in the South and Southwest; and ensure that their views reach all areas of the association; and are reflected in the work undertaken by the secretariat.
“His wide-ranging experience and senior roles in a number of successful businesses, coupled with his roles in an advisory and consultancy capacity; leaves me confident that he has the ability to engage with our members in his region to get a better understanding of how BIFA can fulfil their requirements.”
Network Aviation Groups announced Andy Bentley, formerly of Atlas Air and industry stalwart, will be joining the Commercial team at Network’s Eagle House HQ.
He will be primarily involved with business development for NAM’s Managed Fleet which operates x4 B747Fs on a scheduled and worldwide charter basis.
“Andy brings a wealth of air cargo and charter experience which will be invaluable to our business,” the company said.
Carlos Font has been appointed as the new executive vice president of Air Menzies International (AMI) to replace Jonathan Clark who is leaving the company to join Network Aviation Group as chief executive.
In his new role, Font will be responsible for driving the company’s growth plans, including developing its innovation and digital capabilities.
He will take over the role on December 1 and will be based in Barcelona.
Font has more than 20 years of experience in freight forwarding and digital service providers and joins from Shipa Freight and iContainers, a digital freight forwarder, where he has been chief executive since 2019.
Prior to Shipa, he held numerous roles in the supply chain industry including with DSV and UTi Worldwide.
AMI said that Font had overseen large-scale digital transformation programmes and international supply chain and transportation networks.
He also has experience utilising data, and digital tools to optimise decision making and operational efficiency, the company said.
Clark moves to NAG
Meanwhile, Clark will take on the role of chief executive at Network Aviation Group from January 8 next year.
Clark has over 35 years of experience in the air cargo industry, having worked previously for Lufthansa Cargo, Qatar Airways, DB Schenker and Cargolux.
Andrew Leslie, chairman of the Network Aviation Group, said: “We are delighted to welcome Jonathan as our new chief executive, after an extensive, global search process. Jonathan is a dynamic, values-driven business leader who has a diverse background of experiences and an excellent track record of delivery in the air cargo industry.
“He has exceptional strategic capabilities, proven operational effectiveness, and strong experience in both developed and developing markets. The Board looks forward to Jonathan realising the full potential of Network Aviation Group as a winning business which delivers long-term growth and value for all its stakeholders.”
Clark said: “I am delighted to take on my new role leading the Network Aviation Group, an organisation that I have watched grow over the years into a quality-driven, customer oriented and much respected airfreight partner. With the recent addition of the fourth B747 freighter to the managed fleet, the times ahead are very exciting.”
Network Aviation Group currently has 42 offices around the world where they are the General Sales Agents (GSA) for more than thirty airlines, but also sell the cargo capacity for their own freighter-managed fleet, which currently comprises of four Boeing 747 freighters which are based in Liege, Belgium.
The freighter-managed fleet serves destinations throughout Africa and North America on a scheduled basis as well as offering charter capacity worldwide.
Icelandair Cargo’s managing director Gunnar Már Sigurfinnsson has resigned from his post after having worked as part of the Icelandair Group for over 20 years.
The resignation will become effective immediately, but Sigurfinnsson will continue to work within the company in the upcoming months and carry out a handover period with his successor, said Icelandair Group.
Einar Már Guðmundsson, director of Icelandair’s technical operations, will become the interim managing director of Icelandair Cargo and a member of Icelandair Group’s Executive Committee while holding the interim position.
A formal process will now be initiated to search for the future managing director of the company.
Guðmundsson has worked for Icelandair since 2015 as a director of the company’s technical operations. Previously, he was the leader of procurement at Rio Tinto Alcan (ISAL) for three years, and before that he was the operations manager of Skeljungur.
Bogi Nils Bogason, president and chief executive of Icelandair Group, said: “Gunnar Már has been an important team member at Icelandair for decades where he has served in various important roles within the Company. He has been part of Icelandair’s Executive Management since 2005 where he served as Chief Commercial Officer for a total of over 5 years.
“He has then successfully led Icelandair Cargo for 15 years where he played a vital role during the Covid-19 pandemic by seizing opportunities within the cargo business and generating important revenue while Icelandair was facing unprecedented difficulties.
“On behalf of the Icelandair team, I want to thank Gunnar Már for his invaluable service throughout the years and I look forward to continuing working with him on the important projects that we have ahead of us in the upcoming months.”
Lufthansa Cargo has appointed a new chief financial officer to its management team.
Frank Bauer will be the new chief financial officer and chief human resources officer of Lufthansa Cargo.
He will take up his new position on August 1, 2023.
Bauer began his career at Lufthansa in 2007. Three years later he joined the airline Jade Cargo in China. In 2012, he returned to Deutsche Lufthansa AG and took on numerous management positions in the years that followed. For example, he headed the Lufthansa Group’s internal audit department.
Subsequently, as a member of the executive board of Eurowings, he was responsible for finance and human resources. Most recently, he headed the controlling and risk management work of the Group.
Michael Niggemann, chairman of the supervisory board of Lufthansa Cargo, said: “I am delighted that Frank Bauer, an experienced finance and HR expert with great expertise in the logistics sector, will complement and strengthen the Executive Board of Lufthansa Cargo.
“He has proven his management skills in various leadership positions in the Lufthansa Group. The Lufthansa Cargo Executive Board, which is now complete again, will master future challenges under the leadership of Chairman Ashwin Bhat and, together with the company’s employees, further expand Lufthansa Cargo’s global leadership position.”
Christian Leifeld will take over responsibility for controlling and risk management at the Lufthansa Group as Frank Bauer’s successor on August 1, 2023. He began his career at McKinsey in 2003. After founding InterNations (now part of New Work SE) and serving as chief financial officer there, he moved to the E.ON Group in 2009, where he held numerous management positions.
Leifeld was responsible for group controlling from 2017 and subsequently for group controlling, accounting & risk, before serving as Country chief financial officer for E.ON in the Czech Republic from 2020 to 2023.
Neo Air Group, the fast-growing cargo charter and aviation services provider, is continuing its expansion with two further appointments – bringing to seven the total of new key recruits for 2023 to date.
Nadin Schuck joins Neo as Sales Specialist, working in its recently-launched Airfreight department, which provides solutions exclusively for trade customers with shipments that are not large enough to justify part or full charter.
Her aviation services career to date includes both passenger and cargo, most recently in sales at cargo GSSA Euro Cargo Aviation GmbH. Prior to that, she was Secretary to the Executive Board and Administration Centre Manager for airport operator Flughafen Frankfurt-Hahn. Nadin has a degree in Marketing and is also qualified in air travel.
Fernanda Abe has taken up the new post of Time Critical Business Development Manager, in which she will focus on strengthening Neo’s On Board Courier and Time Critical offerings, ensuring they provide a comprehensive range of solutions to address customers’ needs.
Fernanda graduated in Tourism at a leading university in her native Brazil, after which she spent over six years in the events, travel and hospitality sectors, followed by a further five years in logistics and freight forwarding. Her more recent experience has centered on time critical cargo. With Japanese heritage, Fernanda is multi-lingual and has extensive experience working in global markets, where she developed strong customer relations skills.
Says Neo Joint Managing Director Adnan Duran: “Nadin and Fernanda are the latest in a series of recent appointments, representing a significant investment in strengthening our newer OBC and scheduled air cargo activities.
“They bring valuable skills and experience to our business, as well as further diversity and an improved gender balance. We are delighted to welcome them to our team and are excited about how they will help take our business to the next level.”
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