JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA—Aero Africa, a leading air cargo management group dedicated to providing African logistic solutions and neutral value-added services to the international logistics and aviation community, has appointed Prof. Issa Baluch as a non-executive advisory board member effective this year.
Credited with pioneering the sea/air multimodal transport viaUAE into Africa and other regions, Baluch was also the founder and CEO of Swift FreightInternational between 1989 to 2008. He has also beenheavilyinvolved in GSSAs and cargo airlines in the region.
“It is a pleasure and honor to be working with Prof. Issa Baluch. We areconfident that his advice and extensive experience in air cargo logistics in Africaand Middle East will guide us to the right path for the future growth ofour organization and open doors to new opportunities,” said Christos Spyrou, Aero Africa’s Group CEO.
Prof. Baluch, for his part said, “I am delighted to join the energetic leadership of Aero Africa and to play a rolein their strategic growth plans in the Middle East & Africa.”
Dubai, United Arab Emirates—In line with the strategic growth plan for the Middle East region, Emma Howell has been appointed as the Middle East Development Director for Informa Markets Maritime & Cruise portfolio.
This includes severalflagship Seatrade brands under its umbrella in the region, including Saudi Maritime Congressand Seatrade Maritime Logistics Middle East.
The Middle East region has for long been a key hub for several maritime and cruise brands, and home to many wider Informa Markets events. Her role will complement the SeatradeMaritime group of products led by Group Director, Chris Morley, and Seatrade Cruise, led by Mary Bond.
Commenting on the appointment, Andrew Williams, SVP of the portfolio, said: “Withoperations returning to normalcy across various brands and sectors, the Middle East is a keydevelopment location for the maritime and wider related business. This is a region wherethe Seatrade brand has enjoyed a significant presence for a long period of time. As we moveinto 2023, the opportunity exists to really push forward and uplift our activities in the areaonce again.”
Emma has a long business history in the Middle East, stretching back to 1996, when shejoined the launch team of Gulf Today as Business Editor, before moving into PR & Marketingfor multipleinternational brands, including, Aston Martin and Fairline Boats. She joined theSeatrade family on her return to the UK, and has worked on several events as the Digital &Marketing Director, and now, as a commercial leader for the business.
“I have either lived or regularly visited thisregion for nearly 30 years now, and I think it is fair to say that I feel intrinsically interlinkedwith its growth and my own career. I welcome and look forward to this opportunity andmeeting new faces, as well as working with friends and colleagues I have known for manyyears now,” said Emma.
MIAMI, FLORIDA—The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) has appointed Eric Hartmann as its new regional representative for Latin America.
Apart from promoting and implementing TIACA policies in Latin America, Hartmann is also expected to enhance member relations in the region through networking and building relationships with current and prospective members, regional bodies and the respective government agencies.
“We are excited to welcome Eric Hartmann to the TIACA team. With Eric’s many connections throughout Latin America and his experience and knowledge of the air cargo industry, we are sure we will be able to increase our presence throughout Latin America and in turn increase the value for all of our members,” said Steven Polmans, TIACA Chairman.
TIACA Director General Glyn Hughes said Hartmann is a welcome addition to the international trade body’s growing team, saying, “Latin America is just one of the regions TIACA is looking to increase its presence and we are excited to have Eric on board. We are still looking for a representative to fill the role within North Asia, Africa/Middle East and Asia Pacific. We also happen to be looking for an Assistant Manager – Operations in Miami, so if you know anyone qualified, pass the listing along to them. We look forward to growing the TIACA Team to help support our members and the industry.”
FRANKFURT, GERMANY—Carsten Hernig, previously Vice President Region Latin America & Caribbean at Lufthansa Cargo, has assumed the position of Deputy General Manager and Vice President Production, Sales & Marketing at Shanghai Pudong International Airport Cargo Terminal Co. Ltd (PACTL) in Shanghai as of October 1, 2022.
He is responsible for production, sales and marketing at the joint venture between Lufthansa Cargo and Shanghai Pudong Airport, which was founded in 1999.
“I am very pleased that we are welcoming Carsten Hernig, an experienced Lufthansa employee, to this important interface,” said Dietmar Focke, Chief Operations Officer and Chief HR Officer at Lufthansa Cargo. “His extensive experience at Lufthansa Cargo, especially in the international arena, makes him ideally qualified for the new tasks.”
He succeeds Christian Haug, who had held this position since 2016. Haug will remain in Shanghai until the final handover to his successor and is currently working to further expand Lufthansa Cargo’s successful business activities in China.
Hernig has been responsible for various functions in the Lufthansa Group for more than 25 years. He began his career as Manager in the Sales Planning & Steering Team Asia Pacific in Singapore. He also served as Regional Director in Russia and Hong Kong and was responsible for sales and handling as Director South Asia and Middle East in New Delhi.
His many years of experience in the field of crisis management, which goes far beyond the technical aspects, also make him a highly valued manager within the Lufthansa Group. From 2014 to 2019, as Managing Director of Jettainer GmbH, one of the leading companies in the management of ULDs worldwide, he decisively drove its internationalization strategy.
PACTL in Shanghai is known for providing its customers with highly professional and sustainable air cargo handling services.
As one of the world’s largest air cargo terminal operators, the company, which was founded in 1999 as a Sino-German joint venture, draws on the expertise of three shareholders: Shanghai Airport (Group) CO, Ltd, Lufthansa Cargo AG and JHJ Logistics Management CO, Ltd.
With a total investment of RMB 479.02 million in the cargo terminal and a registered capital of RMP 191.61 million, the merger has succeeded in playing a key role in establishing Pudong International Airport as one of China’s major cargo hubs.
Abu Dhabi, UAE — Etihad Airways has named Arik De as its Chief Revenue Officer, overseeing a new organizational division focused on revenue.
Since April 2022, De has served as Vice President of Revenue & Commerce at Etihad Airways, responsible for revenue management and e-commerce.
“With the world quickly returning to pre-Covid levels of travel, we have a unique opportunity to build on and strengthen our leading position at Etihad Airways,” said Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer.
“Our new Revenue division will deliver state-of-the-art revenue management capabilities, broaden our airline partnerships and enhance our network to better serve our guests and our home of Abu Dhabi. Arik has had a substantial positive impact on our revenue performance over the past nine months, and I look forward to closely working with him as we build on these interdependent areas, which are critical for financial sustainability,” he added.
Having started his career over 20 years ago in finance at the International Monetary Fund, De has spent the last 15 years working within the aviation industry. He has previously held leading positions at WestJet, Air Asia, Aeroméxico, and most recently, TAP Air Portugal, where he was the Chief Revenue & Network Officer.
In this newly created role, which will report to the CEO, De will oversee key revenue-related functions including Revenue Management, Distribution & E-commerce, Network Planning, Alliances & Joint Ventures, Aeropolitical& Industry Affairs, and Etihad Guest, the airline’s loyalty program.
“I am excited to take on the Chief Revenue Officer role at a time of such opportunity, as international travel demand kicks into high gear. Etihad Airways has an incredible product, service and team behind it, and I look forward to working together to enable growth and deliver value as we take our airline to new heights,” said De who holds a Master’s degree in Finance and Policy from the University of Chicago.
Wood Dale, Illinois—AAR CORP. (NYSE: AIR), a leading provider of aviation services to commercial and government operators, MROs, and OEMs, announced that John M. Holmes, President and Chief Executive Officer of AAR has been named Chairman of the Board of Directors following the retirement of David P. Storch, the company’s Chairman for 18 years.
Holmes will continue as President and Chief Executive Officer of the company. He joined AAR in 2001 as Director of Mergers and Acquisitions.
In 2003, Holmes moved into operations, becoming General Manager of AAR’s Parts Supply business and progressively assuming responsibility of other businesses before being appointed as President and Chief Operating Officer in 2017. In 2018, he was named President and Chief Executive Officer of AAR, the third since the company’s founding in 1955.
Under Holmes’s leadership, AAR has achieved substantial growth in sales and profitability, while successfully navigating the company through the COVID-19 pandemic. As Chairman, Holmes will focus on strategies to drive continued growth while maintaining the Company’s strong culture and core values.
Storch, the second of the company’s only three CEOs, has served as a member of the Board since 1989 and as Chairman of the Board of AAR since 2005. Under his leadership, the company grew to the leading independent provider of aviation services globally.
ABU DHABI, UAE—Bolloré Logistics has named Rania Saoud as the company’s new Branch Manager for AbuDhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Rania has been part of the Group for the last four years and previously held the position of Key Account Manager based in Dubai with responsibility for some of the major global accounts.
In her role as Branch Manager of Abu Dhabi, Rania will be responsible for developing existing key accounts, identifying local opportunities in all sectors, and striving for operational excellence towards ourclients. She will also have the mission of developing the Oil & Gas vertical by mobilizing skills and expertise for the network.
“I am very excited to be part of the Abu Dhabi team. Thanks to our dynamic Sales forces, I am convinced that we will take Bolloré Logistics to new eight especially since Abu Dhabi, as the capital of the United Arab Emirates, benefits from a very strong and diversified economy said,” Rania.
Bolloré Logistics is a global player in the supply chain and ranks among the world’s top 10 transport and logistics groups, with an integrated network of 600 agencies in 111 countries.
LUXEMBOURG—The Cool Chain Association (CCA) has welcomed Brussels Airport, Boeing, Singapore Airport Terminal Services (SATS), and Validaide as new members and appointed Miguel Rodríguez, Senior Manager Climate Control Products, Qatar Airways, as Treasurer.
The Association, which this year celebrates its 20th anniversary, continues to grow with the vision of facilitating and enabling collaboration, education, and innovation in the temperature-sensitive supply chain amongst its members.
“CCA is focused on finding new ways to collaborate and back initiatives that deliver tangible results,” said Stavros Evangelakakis, Chairman, Cool Chain Association.“Our ideas are striking a chord with the industry, and we are pleased to welcome our four new members as part of our movement for change.”
New Treasurer Rodríguez brings over a decade of experience in air transport including senior roles in the temperature-controlled supply chain at Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways.
“I take on this new challenge to further support the CCA in its mission to continue growing its membership base, attracting talented individuals who want to deliver and contribute to new projects, and providing the industry with solutions and guidance on cool chain transportation,” said Rodríguez who replaces Eric Mauroux, Founder and CEO of FreshBizDev, who has served as treasurer since 2018.
Boeing has been working closely with CCA members and recently participated in the CCA’s Pharma Event in Athens, Greece, presenting a case study on the performance of its aircraft’s temperature-controlled capabilities for a consignment of flowers from South America to Europe.
“Boeing is committed to enhancing sustainability in Aviation and is enthusiastic about the opportunity for multiple Boeing organisations, including Boeing Commercial Airplanes – Advanced Concepts, Boeing Research & Technology – Applied Innovation, and Boeing Global Services to work more closely with the CCA and its member companies to achieve their shared goal of making the Cold Chain more sustainable,” said Aaron Black, Strategy Principal, Boeing.
Brussels Airport has re-joined the CCA after a short hiatus to support the organisation’s new drive to deliver programmes with tangible results.
Sam Quintelier, Cargo Business Development Manager at Brussels Airport, attended the CCA’s AGM and Perishables event in Rome, Italy earlier this year to demonstrate the airport’s new Perishable Management App developed to tackle wastage, and increase transparency between airline cargo handlers, freight forwarders and authorities.
SATS is the chief ground handling and in-flight catering service provider at Singapore Changi Airport and has developed a Cargo Terminal Network that spans over 10 major locations, such as Hong Kong and Dammam, harnessing innovation, technologies, and talents to feed and connect communities in over 60 locations and 14 countries across the Asia Pacific, UK and the Middle East.
Validaide was founded in 2016 to support the logistics industry with digital solutions for lane risk assessments and supplier qualification.
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates—Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE,has namedRaffaelQuintas as its new Chief Financial Officer.
Prior to joining Etihad, Quintas served as CFO at Infracommerce, the largest e-commerce enabler and solution provider in Latin America. He also served as the CFO of the Portuguese flag carrier TAP Air Portugal and the Corporate Treasurer position at Brazilian airline Azul LinhasAéreas where he took on roles of increasing financial responsibility during a nine-year tenure.
“Raffael is a widely respected senior finance executive who brings more than 20 years of international experience across the aviation and retail sectors to the role. As we position Etihad Airways for post-pandemic growth, I am confident that his leadership experience and strategic insights in all aspects of aviation financing, from fleet planning to supply chain management, will help drive our continued success,” said Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways.
Quintas holds a degree in Business Administration from FundaçãoGetulio Vargas and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
“I am delighted to join the Etihad team, especially at such a pivotal moment. Etihad is one of the world’s most recognised and trusted aviation brands and I am excited to be part of the next chapter at Etihad as we continue to strengthen our financial position,” said Quintas who will be succeeding Adam Boukadida who left Etihad after nine years to pursue a new role.
“Adam has played a key role in leading our finance organisation through the turbulence of Covid-19 and, more widely, through the broader transformation of our business, and I want to thank him for his contribution to Etihad,” said Neves.
FRANKFURT/LEIPZIG, GERMANY—AeroLogic, the joint venture between DHL Express and Lufthansa Cargo, has made changes on its management team with Katharina Prost named as the new Managing Director responsible for Finance and Administration at AeroLogic.
Prior, Prost served as Managing Director at Aeromar, a joint venture between Aeroflot and LSG SkyChefs in Russia. She succeeds Martin Hirsch, who joined Austrian Airlines as Head of Finance in June.
Thanks to a contract extension, Joe Moser, Managing Director Operations and Accountable Manager of AeroLogic GmbH, will remain active in his existing role, which he has held since March 2017. Prior, he led Flight Operations and Crew Training at AeroLogic.
“With Katharina Prost, we have been able to win an experienced manager for AeroLogic and welcome her warmly. We are also pleased to continue the very good cooperation with Joe Moser. We can now look back on fifteen years of the joint venture and are very proud of what we have achieved together: safe and reliable flight operations and steady growth in the fleet by both partners. In the future, we will continue to rely on the good cooperation in the joint venture and an excellent offer for our customers,” said Dorothea von Boxberg, Chairperson of the Executive Board and CEO of Lufthansa Cargo.
Lufthansa Cargo currently markets the capacities of Aerologic’s 16 Boeing 777 freighters. Of these, five aircraft are chartered from AeroLogic and also operated by AeroLogic crews, but they operate under a Lufthansa Cargo flight number. The AeroLogic-owned fleet consists of a total of 21 Boeing 777F aircraft.
“We warmly welcome Katharina Prost to AeroLogic. She brings a wealth of valuable experience and perspective,” said Travis Cobb, Executive Vice President Global Network Operations & Aviation at DHL Express. “At the same time, we are delighted that Joe Moser has agreed to extend his appointment. It provides AeroLogic with both stability and continuity, and sets it up for further growth.”
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