London, UK –Tom Erskine has been named the new Chief Marketing Officer of Accelya, a leading global provider of technology solutions to the travel industry, which seeks to accelerate growth through customer-first innovation for the airline industry.
Based in London, Tom will oversee the planning, development, and execution of Accelya’s marketing initiatives globally. He will report into Chief Revenue Officer Andrew Wilcock and will ensure the company remains inherently customer-centric and pro-airline in its approach, while further growing the culture of innovation within Accelya.
Tom previously held executive roles at Microsoft, AWS, and most recently Cloudways (now part of DigitalOcean), and has held leadership roles in the USA, UAE, and UK.
“This is a truly exciting time for airlines, I’m so proud to be joining an organization at the forefront of accelerating the digital transformation for the industry,” said Tom. “I look forward to driving further growth for Accelya by listening closely to our customers, fostering a culture of innovation and experimentation, and continuing to make Accelya a great place to work for our international team of marketers.”
Sam Gilliland, Chief Executive Officer at Accelya, said, “Tom’s exceptional experience in the software industry, in particular his years at AWS, will be invaluable in driving Accelya’s customer centricity and unlocking innovation across the company. He will be a tremendous asset to our leadership team, bringing a fresh perspective, strong international experience, and a track record for really striving to understand customers’ needs and motivations.”
Paris, France—Ian Morgan has joined ECS Group as its new Group Commercial Director for the USA.
Previously Qatar Airways Cargo’s Vice President Cargo for the Americas, Morgan fits perfectly with ECS Group’s ongoing development and plan to create a position of Group Commercial Director for the USA. His appointment took effect on 01 May 2023.
“Our wish was to benefit from the support of someone who would not only have a solid cargo experience but who would also share the values of our group. Ian was the ideal candidate,” said Adrien Thominet, Executive Chairman of ECS Group.
Having gained considerable airfreight expertise in the USA while working as manager for the biggest companies, Ian joins ECS Group with a substantial network and a great ability to meet the requirements of the GSSA’s customers, thanks to his strong airline background.
As ECS Group’s Group Commercial Director for the USA, Ian’s role will entail a wide range of commercial responsibilities. From ensuring the Group’s commercial performance to managing the interface with USA based customers with high growth potential, the position will also involve contributing to the Group’s business development.
This new role is essential as ECS Group has great expectations for the USA. With a number of contracts on the increase in terms of capacity, the American market is highly strategic for the GSSA.
“The opportunity to join the premium GSSA in the business, and to work for two people I respect immensely, was something that professionally I knew was the right step in my career. I look forward to collaborating with the ECS team to further develop and enhance the excellent brand and reputation that ECS has globally as well as regionally,”said Morgan.
Frankfurt, Germany—Jacqueline Casini, Senior Director Communications, Marketing & Corporate Responsibility, will leave Lufthansa Cargo on May 31, 2023, to take on a new professional challenge outside the Lufthansa Group. Lufthansa Cargo will announce her successor shortly.
“During her time at Lufthansa Cargo, Jacqueline has realigned the communications department and brought marketing and corporate communications closer together. Jacqueline focused as well on the digital transformation of communications,” said Ashwin Bhat, CEO of Lufthansa Cargo AG.
“Particularly noteworthy is the positioning of Lufthansa Cargo as an enabler of global business. In doing so, she has succeeded in making the value of airfreight for global trade and society transparent. In addition, the sustainability strategy was realigned under her leadership. She has been extremely successful in communicating sustainability measures to stakeholders in a transparent, comprehensible and credible manner, thus positioning Lufthansa Cargo as a thought leader in the field of sustainability in the airfreight industry. Together with my colleagues on the Lufthansa Cargo Executive Board, I would like to thank her and wish her all the best for her personal and professional future,” Bhat added.
Cheshire, England–Bentley Motors announced the appointment of Tobias Sühlmann as the new Director of Design, commencing 1 February 2023. He succeeds Andreas Mindt who moves to the Head of Design role at Volkswagen Passenger Cars.
Sühlmann has been promoted from his position as Head of Exterior Design at Bentley, having joined the luxury marque in October 2021. With a 20-year career in automotive design, Sühlmann has held senior design positions at McLaren, Aston Martin, Bugatti and Volkswagen’s Potsdam Design Centre which he joined in 2005 before moving to Volkswagen Design in Wolfsburg in 2007. Here he worked on the Passat, Arteon and Touareg as well as different Showcars.
He was instrumental in the design of the Bentley Batur, working under the direction of Andreas Mindt. Batur embodies the start of a design revolution at Bentley, showcasing a new design DNA that will ultimately guide the design of Bentley’s future range of battery electric vehicles.
Sühlmann will report directly to Dr. Matthias Rabe, Bentley’s Board Member for Research and Development, who commented: “Tobias has made a very significant, positive impression since joining us in 2021 in what was, and still is, a critical, yet exciting time for the business as we accelerate our journey to full electrification by 2030. His previous experiences from luxury automotive, combined with a strong understanding of the Bentley brand and the Volkswagen Group means he is perfectly positioned to enable us to achieve our future ambitions as the leader in sustainable luxury mobility.”
Middle East– Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) has named Lisa Atherton as the new president & CEO of the Bell segment, effective April 28, 2023.
Atherton, most recently the chief operating officer of Bell, succeeds Mitch Snyder, who will be retiring after more than seven years as president & CEO of Bell and nearly 20 years with the company.
Atherton served as president & CEO of Textron Systems from 2017 until January 2023 when she was named COO at Bell. She joined Textron Defense Systems in 2007 and, in 2013, she transitioned to Bell and held a number of leadership positions within Military Programs, including executive vice president, Military Business. A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, she served eight years at the U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command’s Directorate of Requirements.
Commenting on the transition, Scott C. Donnelly, Textron chairman & CEO, said, “Lisa has done an outstanding job of building strong teams at Bell and Textron Systems in her 16 years with the company and has earned the confidence of our customers. Under her leadership, Bell will continue its strong execution across military and commercial programs and I am confident that she will provide the strategic vision to generate future growth for Bell.
“I also want to thank Mitch for his leadership. During his tenure, Mitch oversaw the development of new technologies and product innovations, significant wins in Bell’s military business and the expansion of our commercial programs.”
Abu Dhabi, UAE—Abu Dhabi Airports announced the appointment of Maureen Bannerman as the company’s new Chief Commercial Officer (CCO).
In her new role, which took effect on January 2, 2023,Maureen has assumed roles and responsibilities, including developing and implementing commercial plans, that align with Abu Dhabi Airports’ business strategy and financial objectives, as well as identifying and pursuing viable new commercial opportunities.
As CCO, she will also play a pivotal role in the company’s long-term strategic growth plans in line with Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030. Her efforts will be centered around innovating to deliver product and service excellence, within safe, secure and sustainable airport operations as per industry best practices and promoting tourism and trade via world-class connectivity.
A highly accomplished leader and seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience primarily within the aviation industry, Maureen has joined Abu Dhabi Airports following a successful tenure as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of APM Terminal at the Khalifa Bin Salman Port in Bahrain.
In addition to her invaluable aviation experience, Maureen who holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and Higher National Diploma in Business and Finance, also brings extensive expertise in the logistics and transport fields, having held positions at renowned organisations such as Serco and Network Rail in the UK.
On her appointment, H.E. Eng. Jamal Salem Al Dhaheri, Managing Director & CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Maureen to Abu Dhabi Airports as part of our Executive Team. We are confident her exemplary track record will help realise our growth strategies and commercial plans as an enabler and a catalyst for tourism, trade, logistics and business in the emirate and the UAE.”
IATA World Cargo Symposium, the greatest air cargo event in the world, is being held in Istanbul between April 25 and 27. The event, hosted by Turkish Cargo, stands out as a significant item in respect of global air cargo transportation.
Being held in various cities on annual basis, IATA World Cargo Symposium is globally accepted as the most prestigious organization in the air cargo industry. The event brings the industry leaders, airline companies, cargo operators, air cargo agents and such other industry stakeholders together to discuss the latest trends, best practices and innovations in air cargo industry.
It is expected that IATA WCS 2023 will not only make a significant contribution to the sustainability and digitalization journey of the global air cargo industry but also solidify the safety and security awareness in the industry. The event offers Istanbul the opportunity to attract the business world with its potential to become a logistics center, beyond being the junction point of the world trade.
Making the opening speech for the symposium, Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee Prof. Dr. Ahmet Bolat said; “We are more than glad to host the World Cargo Symposium 2023 event in a manner to mark the 100th year of establishment of our Republic. Air cargo transportation plays a critical role with respect to the world economy and continuity of the supply chain. Our convention at the hub of global aviation, today, highlights once again the potential of Istanbul for the future of the logistics industry.”
Willie Walsh, the Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) remarked; “For the next three days Istanbul will become the air cargo capital of the world. The last time we met in Istanbul, for the World Cargo Symposium was in 2011 and we are delighted to be back in the year that marks the 100th year of the establishment of the Republic of Türkiye. This year’s WCS promises to be another memorable occasion as the cargo industry comes together to discuss how to improve sustainability, safety, and reliability, as well as emerging opportunities with new markets, technologies, and digitalization.”
Cathay Cargo has launched a new mail service that integrates mail handling data with its cargo systems to improve visibility.
The new Cathay Mail service integrates mail-handling data with air cargo systems using the the postal air waybill (PAWB) through electronic data interchange (EDI) technology.
This removes much of the previous shipment paperwork and improves “visibility of shipments down to mailbag (or receptacle) level, allowing them to offer package-level track-and-trace visibility to e-commerce shippers”.
Cathay Cargo said the information also allows it to manage capacity against actual mail volumes on flights, so it can make allowances for surges in ad hoc demand, or make unused space available for other cargo.
European mail shipments will also be compliant with the European Union’s new ICS2 customs requirements, which are being introduced this year.
Director cargo Tom Owen said: “Cathay Mail highlights how we have adapted technology and digitalisation to offer real benefits to our customers.
“By fully integrating mail-handling functions with our cargo operations and expertise, our innovative new mail solution provides a sophisticated suite of tools and facilities to support our postal partners.
“This new investment in our mail-handling capability increases the attractiveness of Hong Kong as a global mail hub, giving post offices the confidence to move mail more seamlessly to, from and through Hong Kong,”
The system will also help with performance monitoring through the EzyPost platform.
Indices such as on-time delivery and visibility performance will be accessible and updated from live data.
“Cathay Cargo will aim to outperform the 95% industry ‘visibility performance’ standard, and will set its own stretch targets to ensure it exceeds contractual standards,” the carrier said.
“The EzyPost platform will also produce monthly reports that will be available to post office customers.”
Rhenus Air & Ocean Denmark has obtained GDP certification as the company continues to target the life sciences and healthcare sector.
The certification confirms that the logistics specialist meets the European Union’s guidelines on good distribution practice for medicinal products for human use.
“This is only possible if all the processes along the supply chain are fully documented and a quality management system in line with the GDP guidelines has been introduced,” the forwarder said.
“Rhenus uses both these measures to check the supply chain for pharmaceutical products in order to ensure that the consignments do not suffer any damage during transportation, handling and storage.”
Late last year, the forwarder also obtained GDP certification at its site at Schiphol Airport and at its Frankfurt facility.
The standard specifies the conditions that a company must meet to have an accredited quality management system.
“Quality is the number one priority at Rhenus, which is why we apply the highest standards to our internal processes. Our experienced supply chain team is fully aware of the special standards required in the life sciences and healthcare sector and can introduce them in a suitably efficient manner for our customers,” said Ole Moller Hansen, the managing director of Rhenus Air & Ocean Denmark.
Yusen Logistics Hong Kong will establish and start operating its own container freight station (CFS) for air export cargo in the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA)-operated Dongguan Humen Bonded Logistics Park (BLP), known as the “Airport City” project.
The company said it is the only logistics solution provider to operate its own CFS in the Airport City project, which was developed to promote economic development.
Yusen Logistics has been involved in the project since its inception. In October last year, it began providing a new solution that transports cargo directly from the BLP in China to the island-based HKIA directly by feeder vessel and loading it on aircraft.
Promoted by the Hong Kong Airport Authority (AAHK), the BLP is positioned as a logistics base station for air cargo in the Greater Bay Area, and is expected to play a role as a base of intersection connecting the Greater Bay Area to all of the world, making it easy to access not only from Guangdong Province but also from inside and outside China.
“By opening our own CFS in Dongguan Humen BLP, we will manage our customers’ important cargo safely, securely, and provide optimal supply chain logistics services connecting the Greater Bay Area with the world, said Yusen Logistics.
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