Aviation Connect - Air Cargo Handling & Logistics (ACHL)

Henrik Ambak

Conference Chairperson

Henrik Ambak started in freight forwarding, and then moved into ground and cargo handling, before joining Cargolux in 2001, overseeing worldwide ground and cargo operations. Ambak joined Emirates SkyCargo tasked with developing and implementing strategies securing the continued Emirates leadership in service delivery. He managed the airline’s Dubai cargo terminals at Dubai International Airport and Dubai World Central, cargo handling and trucking suppliers, standards and procedures, special load engineering and load mastering and IT systems usage used to facilitate and support the SkyCargo business. From December 2023 Ambak retired from full time work.

Lars J.T. Droog

ACHL Advisory Board, Cytek Biosciences

Lars Droog is a passionate and seasoned international business executive with more than 20 years of multi-cultural management experience and a proven track record in the management of local, regional and global organizations. Droog has had the privilege to work for internationally reputable organizations like Tosoh Corporation, Thermo Fisher Scientific and currently as director at Cytek Biosciences. He is also chairman of TIACA’s Shippers’ Advisory Committee, chairman of evofenedex’s Airfreight and Express Council, a committee of the Dutch Shippers’ Council and board member of evofenedex.

Kendy Choi

ACHL Advisory Board, NEM+

Kendy Choi previously joined Cainiao Network, the logistics arm of the Alibaba Group, in 2020 as Senior Manager Cargo Business Development. Part of the core team that launched phase I (2021) of Alibaba Smart Hub Belgium, she engaged airlines and associated partners into the European eHub connecting to worldwide airports, offering an innovative data platform which drives performance and visibility, enabling end-to-end solutions, making it easy doing business everywhere. In her previous role, Kendy worked for AirBridgeCargo and was responsible for the establishment of the Belgium branch, managing the cargo revenue operations of Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland with a passion for pharma, live animals and XL cargo handling.

Asok Kumar

ACHL Advisory Board, Morrison Express Corporation

Asok Kumar is the Chief Executive Officer of Morrison Express Corporation and serves on the ACHL Advisory Board. He has more than 25 years of global logistics and supply chain experience, including 17 years with DB Schenker in key leadership roles. His career there spanned Singapore as Vice President of Sales and Key Account Management, CEO of Schenker Indonesia, and most recently Executive Vice President, Head of Air Freight Americas based in Miami. At Morrison Express, Asok leads the company’s global strategy, innovation, and customer focused growth.

Janet Wallace

ACHL Advisory Board, Air Canada Cargo

Janet Wallace has over twenty years of experience across all the customer touchpoints at Air Canada. In 2016 she was appointed Director Cargo Transformation. With overall leadership of process engineering, regulatory, training & third party contracting for Air Canada’s worldwide Cargo operations. Her focus is on building a quality & culture organization that is fit for growth. Also pursuing Masters of Science in Transportation Management- MS Supply Chain at the University of Denver.

Sebastiaan Scholte

ACHL Advisory Board, Kales Airline Services

Sebastiaan Scholte was born in 1970 in Groningen, the Netherlands. After studying Economics and Business Administration at the Rotterdam College, he started his cargo aviation career in 1997, working in Mexico City for Aeromexpress, the cargo division of Aeromexico and Mexicana. From 1998 he was based in Madrid as VP Europe. Based in Mexico City from 2000, he was promoted to VP Sales, Mexico and Central America. In 2002 Sebastiaan joined Cargolux Airlines in Sao Paulo as Regional Manager, Latin America. After successfully restructuring the department, he became Cargolux’ Regional Business Development Manager, Spain and Portugal in 2004. He initiated Cargolux’ Portugal operations, while at the same time completing a Global Executive MBA at the IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain. Between 2006 and 2010 Sebastiaan was Head of Marketing & Special Projects, based at Cargolux’ headquarters in Luxembourg. In April 2010 he was appointed CEO of Jan de Rijk Logistics, based in Roosendaal the Netherlands and in May 2012 was appointed Chairman of the Cool Chain Association. In 2013 he joined the board of TIACA, where he was elected Vice Chairman in April 2015 and Chairman in 2017 until 2019. He currently is the CEO of Kales Group since 2020 and a senior advisor for Boston Consulting Group since October 2020.

Guillaume Halleux

ACHL Advisory Board, Swissport

Guillaume Halleux joined Swissport International AG as Chief Commercial Officer on September 18th, 2023, and reports directly to the CEO. Guillaume brings more than 25 years of experience and joins Swissport from Qatar Airways Cargo, where he served as Chief Officer Cargo at the airline’s Doha head office. Previously, he also served as the airline’s Vice President Cargo Asia Pacific. He started his career with Air France in 1997 and held several positions in Logistics and Business Development before joining the SkyTeam Cargo US joint venture between Air France, Delta Airlines, and Korea Air. He was later appointed Regional Director for Hong Kong and South China at Air France-KLM. A French citizen, Guillaume holds a Master’s in Business Administration from ICN Business School in Nancy, France

Roland Weil

ACHL Advisory Board, Frankfurt Airport

Roland, started his aviation career 38 years ago in the sales department of Air Canada in Frankfurt, Germany. A couple of years later he moved over to Delta Air Lines where he held several positions in Sales Management - the last one as Regional Director Sales Southern Europe and Southeast Asia. In March 2005 he joined Fraport as VP Sales and the key contact for the airlines’ route and network planners ensuring optimal development of scheduled services to and via Frankfurt. In February 2013 he was appointed VP Sales Cargo for Frankfurt Airport and is based within Fraport’s Aviation & Cargo Development division. In Europe, Frankfurt Airport ranks first in terms of air freight tonnage and was the sixth-busiest gateway for passenger traffic in 2023.

Mark Pilling

Master of ceremonies, ARGS Editor

Mark Pilling is an experienced journalist, editor and publisher covering the global airline and aviation industry for 25 years. In the 1990s and 2000s he was the editor of several leading industry titles, including Airline Business, Airports International and Airport World. He went on to become publisher of the FlightGlobal aviation brands, featuring flightglobal.com, Flight International and Flight Daily News, and helped establish FlightGlobal (now Cirium) as a leading aviation data and information business. Today, Mark is a consulting editor at FlightGlobal, the editor of Airline Routes & Ground Services magazine, a contributing editor at Arabian and African Aerospace and anchor at Times Aerospace TV, and contributing editor for leading aviation sustainability website GreenAir News.

Guillaume Crozier

dnata

Guillaume Crozier leads dnata's cargo business in the U.A.E. as well as global one dnata cargo product initiatives. He holds his current role since 2021 and is also a board member of Dubai Express/Freightworks, Wallenborn Middle East Logistics and Dubz. Crozier started his career with the Emirates Group in 2011. His previous positions include DVP Operational Performances and Product development for International Airport Operations (IAO), VP Operational Performance IAO and COO in Switzerland. Before joining the Emirates Group his aviation career covered various leadership positions across the cargo industry, mainly in the Cargo GSS segment.

Terry Waithe

Air Canada Cargo

Terry Waithe, Manager of ULD Logistics and Cool Chain for Air Canada Cargo, believes that everyone has a responsibility when it comes to achieving a sustainable future globally. With degrees in Economics and Political Science, he sits as a voting member on the IATA ULD board, is a member of ULD Care, and is an active participant in Air Canada Cargo’s sustainability committee. Terry has 20 years of experience in the aviation industry with nine of those years dedicated to air freight at Air Caranda’s Cargo division. It is in this forum that he exhibits his passion towards influencing policies and practices that are centered around airfreight sustainability and accountability. Very often you will hear him quote the remarkably familiar phrase, “If you are not part of the solution, you ’re part of the problem.” It is his objective to ensure that we all have industry guidance and solutions to work with.

Shahzad Aslam

CHAMP Cargosystems

Shahzad Aslam, VP Cargo Management Portfolio at CHAMP Cargosystems. Based in London, Shahzad oversees the product management and development of CHAMP’s core cargo products, including flagship product Cargospot neo. These products have more than 100 customers with 70 major international airlines and 38 ground handlers. Shahzad is responsible for creating and maintaining the products’ digital strategy, defining product roadmaps and building support for relevant business models. Shahzad also has a special interest in digitalization of the air cargo industry. Shahzad works directly with cargo airline and ground handling stakeholders, helping them utilize digital technologies to improve organisational efficiency within their businesses. Shahzad has over 20 years of professional experience working in air cargo and IT domain, having gained hands-on experience through working at a number of international airlines prior to joining CHAMP fifteen years ago. Shahzad holds a Master’s Degree in Software Engineering from the University of Oxford.

Martin Drew

Atlas Air

Martin Drew is a seasoned aviation executive with a wealth of experience spanning over 25 years in the industry. His journey in aviation began with formative roles at Lufthansa Cargo and Das Air Cargo, where he honed his skills and laid the groundwork for a successful career ahead. Martin then embarked on an 18-year tenure with Etihad Airways, where he made significant contributions across both the Cargo and Passenger segments of the business. During his time at Etihad Airways, Martin held pivotal roles, including an 18-month secondment to Jet Airways as Vice President Cargo. This experience provided him with invaluable insights and further enriched his knowledge of the aviation industry. In his last role at Etihad Airways, Martin served as Senior Vice President Global Sales and Cargo, where he led global passenger sales, marketing, and brand, while also overseeing all aspects of the Cargo division. In October 2023, Martin Drew embarked on a new chapter in his illustrious career, joining Atlas Air as Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer. In this strategic capacity, Martin is entrusted with shaping the company's corporate strategy and spearheading transformative initiatives. His visionary leadership and wealth of experience are instrumental in navigating Atlas Air through the ever-evolving aviation landscape, ensuring sustained growth and success for the organization.

Ram Menon

Wallenborn Transports

Ram Menon started his career at Wallenborn fulfilling various operational roles, spending time in the Control tower and Planning teams, working in all regions within the company’s network. He then joined the Key Account Management & Sales team, engaging with key accounts across the globe. Ram spent 5.5 years with Amazon Global Security Operations in various functions, where he was responsible for Transportation Security EMEA for Amazon Transportation Services and for Aviation Security & Regulatory Compliance within the EU 3^rd Party Ground Handling Agent (GHA) network for Amazon Air. Ram is currently the Chief Operating Officer for Wallenborn.

Robert Fordree

Emirates SkyCargo

Robert Fordree started his aviation career with Lufthansa Cargo at Heathrow Airport and worked in a number of operational roles. He then moved to Menzies Aviation with responsibility for cargo commercial activity across the UK before assuming responsibility as VP Global Key Accounts. Fordree's next move was to spend nearly a decade with Etihad Airways where he spent most of his time as Head of Cargo Operations in Abu Dhabi. He returned to the UK in October 2017 for his second stint with Menzies Aviation, this time based in Edinburgh as VP Cargo Development with a mandate to deliver product development in the cargo sector. He then took on the responsibility for overall global commercial activity for the group as SVP Commercial before returning to his cargo roots as EVP Global Cargo Services. In late 2023 the Middle East lured him back, this time to Emirates SkyCargo as SVP Cargo Operations Worldwide based in Dubai.

Stephan Pieters

RFS Chairman, Jan de Rijk Logistics

Stephan has been employed at Jan de Rijk Logistics for precisely 10 years. Following his studies at the Technical University of Delft and the completion of his graduation project at Schiphol Airport in the Cargo team, led by Enno Osinga at the time, Stephan embarked on his professional journey at Jan de Rijk Logistics as a young professional/trainee. He commenced his tenure in Customer Service and steadily progressed through the ranks to become an account manager and later a branch office manager. After a span of two years, Stephan transitioned into the role of Process Improvement Manager within JDR International Transport, where his focus encompassed digital customer service, account management, and the development of the customer portal. He also spearheaded various trucking-related projects at European airports. Subsequently, Stephan assumed a position within the management team of International Transport, directing his efforts towards the Western European branch offices of JDR for approximately 1.5 years. Over the subsequent two years, he took on the responsibility of overseeing the last mile pharma distribution company, Omega Logistics. In the most recent two-year period, Stephan has held accountability for sales and marketing across all business units of Jan de Rijk.

Dirk Goovaerts

Swissport

Dirk Goovaerts joined Swissport as CEO of Continental Europe, Middle East, and Africa in September, 2021, and reports directly to the Group President and CEO. In addition, he serves as Global Cargo Chair, focusing on strengthening Swissport’s air cargo business. Dirk has over 25 years of experience in the ground handling and cargo industries and is a result-oriented senior executive with a proven track record in operational excellence, digital acceleration, and turnaround management, driving growth and creating shareholder value. His goal is to leverage technology and innovation to provide best in class, sustainable and cost-efficient services. Prior to joining Swissport, Dirk held positions at dnata as CEO of the Asia Pacific region, COO of Saudi Ground Services Company, Senior Vice President Europe at Menzies Aviation, and Finance Director Global Network of Outstations at Sabena.

Wilson Kwong

Hactl

Wilson Kwong has been Chief Executive of Hactl since March 2018. Kwong’ s 25-year career with the Jardine Matheson Group has also included seven years with Jardine Aviation Services, where he was involved in passenger and ramp handling activities. Significant initiatives under his leadership have included the introduction of robotics to security, hygiene, spare parts provision and ramp operations; the launch of Hactl’s Integrated Hactl Control Centre and best-in-class Cool Chain Complex; the installation of the handling sector’s first intelligent thermal detection system; and attaining accreditation under all four IATA CEIV programmes (Pharma, Fresh, Live Animals and Lithium Batteries). On the sustainability front, Hactl has now committed to reducing its absolute scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50.4% by 2030 from a 2018 baseline, and to reduce absolute scope 3 GHG emissions by 50.4% within the same timeframe.

Teddy Zebitz

Saudia Cargo

Teddy Zebitz is an international business executive with 30 years of experience in global Air Transportation & Logistics. He is a Danish national and has worked in numerous countries across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. He is a seasoned speaker at industry conferences and leadership forums, has been a member of the Saudi Aviation Strategy as SME, as well as the Danish Transport Ministry’s think-tank on Transportation and is external lecturer and member of the Advisory Board of Copenhagen Business School (CBS). Mr. Zebitz is CEO of Saudia Cargo, one of the world’s leading airfreight companies, and Chairman of the Cargo Executive Board of SkyTeam, the world’s second largest airline alliance. He holds an MBA from University of Leicester and a Board Director Diploma from IMD. Mr. Zebitz is married and has 3 children.

Marie Seco-Köppen

Cargo iQ

Marie is an Air Transportation Professional, with over 20 years’ experience in delivering process and digitalization improvements in global air freight. She combines an analytical, data-driven mindset with a hands-on attitude to drive impactful continuous improvement initiatives. Marie has been recognized repeatedly for leading successful integration initiatives across multiple industry players. (2001) Marie started her career in cargo flight operations in Panalpina’s gateway in Luxembourg. Benefiting from her strong requirements engineering background, she soon (2002) moved Basel, to work at the interface of business and IT to implement the forwarder’s gateway software. (2014) As Global Air Freight Process Digitalization Manager at Panalpina’s Basel head office, Marie drove automation and technology upgrades with airlines, boosted data quality, and enabled performance management through the implementation of a global shipment visibility platform. As a co-founder of Swiss boutique consultancy, Im3pact AG, Marie delivered project work for with Freight Forwarders, Ground Handling Agents, Airlines, and software providers to strengthen market-relevant capabilities. Marie took over the role of Executive Director Cargo iQ in May, 2024 after having served as the Chair of the Cargo iQ MOP Working group since 2020. Marie studied Business Administration & Management in Belgium and holds a Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Customer and Value-oriented Product Management from the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland. She also holds a CAS in Holistic Continuous Improvement Management from the Swiss Association for Quality. A blend of Dutch and French culture, with a shot of Belgian upbringing, Marie has worked in Switzerland since 2004, and speaks English and German fluently, alongside her two mother tongues. In her free time, loves hiking, skiing, dancing, organizing dinners and parties or being around family and friends, discovering artists during concerts and creative arts as drawing and pottery.

Stan Wraight

SASI

Stan Wraight is the Co-Founder of Strategic Aviation Solutions (SASI) with over 40 years of senior air cargo management experience in operations. His extensive management back ground includes his positions as Vice-President of Global Cargo Sales and Marketing for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines; Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the U.S. firm Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings. Wraight led the team that founded Volga Dnepr’s Airbridge Cargo in 2003, which has grown to be a global scheduled cargo operator. Wraight also serves or served on the boards of various companies including scheduled and all cargo airlines, an all passenger LCC airline based in Europe where he was also Vice President and engaged in ACMI services and strategy, ground handling companies and E Commerce logistics entities.

John Batten

Worldwide Flight Services

John Batten Chief Executive Officer, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia (EMEAA) WFS, A Member of the SATS Group. He joined the company in 2015 as the Executive Vice President for WFS Business Development. He later took on the role of EVP for WFS’s cargo operations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. John has over 45 years of senior leadership experience in the aviation industry. Before joining WFS, John was EVP of Cargo at Swissport. Prior to this, he was Senior Vice President of Cargo at Qatar Airways. He also held a leadership position at TNT and was responsible for setting up TNT Airways. An active member of IATA working groups on e-Freight, e-AWB and Cargo IQ.

Thomas Yu

Cainiao Network Group

Mr. Thomas Yu is the Senior Director of Global Hub Services of Cainiao Network Group. He is leading the commercial and operational functions of global hub business across the end-to-end cross border logistics services, and responsible for delivering operational strategies, innovating new processes, implementing digital solution and expanding global presence in the worldwide network. Thomas possesses over 20 years' experience in the aviation industry and specialized in strategic management, operational planning, service delivery, commercial and business development in the field of airport, air cargo and ground handling services. Prior to joining Cainiao Network, Thomas worked for Emirates Group Headquarters as Head of International Airport Operations based in Dubai, and held several management positions in a few world-renowned cargo terminals in Hong Kong. Thomas is also the Chartered Member of Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transportation (CILT), and holder of a Master Degree of International Shipping and Logistics Management and Bachelor Degree of Engineering. Thomas is the Winner of the CILTHK Young Achiever Award in 2010,and the Hong Kong Young Logistician of the Year Award. His vision is to grow the organization into one of the most admired and successful business in the industry through customer centric, passion for excellence and continued innovation spirit.

Joep Bruijs

Cargolux

Joep Bruijs, a Dutch national, has a rich background in airfreight. After graduating from university, he began his career at KLM Cargo in sales. Following the merger with Air France Cargo, he held various management positions in Stockholm and Bangkok. Later, he joined DB Schenker as VP of Airfreight for the Netherlands and subsequently for the Benelux region. In 2021, Bruijs became the Senior Vice President of Global Logistics at Cargolux. He is passionate about uniting people with a focus on business improvement and innovation. Bruijs is married and has two daughters.

Joanna Li

Hactl

Joanna Li has over 25 years of experience in the aviation industry. She started as a management trainee and took up mainly sales and marketing functions when she first joined the industry in the airline catering and ground handling fields. She then joined a global cargo airline and held various senior management positions with responsibility for its business development and partnership projects in the Asia Pacific region. In 2022, she re-joined Hactl as their Executive Director leading the commercial and business development functions of the company.

Li Jin

Innovation Showcase , iTran Systems

Founder & CEO iTran Systems Labor costs constitute over 70% of air cargo ground operation expenses. This statistic highlights significant potential for enhancement through increased informatization and automation. Over the last decade, iTran attached great importance to the R&D of software products and established a substantial customer base with a focus on the Chinese market. In the next ten years, our focus will be on leveraging informatization and automation to significantly reduce labor costs within the industry, thereby enhancing profitability and service quality for our valued customers. Li jin, Founder & CEO of iTran, has served the air cargo lT industry for over 25 years. 2004- present, Founded iTran Systems and led its global expansion, currently serving over 60 carriersand GHAs worldwide. 1997-2003, The leader of China Southern Airlines’ Tang cargo system , which was one of the first openplatform-based air cargo system in the world.

Lionel Van Der Walt

Nallian

Lionel van der Walt is a dynamic global executive with over 20 years of leadership experience driving growth and transformation across industries. Currently serving as Chief Commercial Officer at Nallian, he brings a unique blend of operational expertise and strategic vision, a proven hands-on strategist with a track record of leading exceptional value at high-tech, hyper-growth startups and international nonprofit associations. Prior to Nallian, Lionel held C-suite roles at Raft, PayCargo, the International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants (IIBEC) and Cargo Network Services Corp. (CNS), a subsidiary of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). His career also includes over a decade at IATA in various leadership roles spanning Southern Africa, Europe, the Americas and the Caribbean, and a foundational start in the South African Air Force. Passionate about developing high-performance teams and fostering innovation, Lionel is a champion of collaboration, partnerships and diversity. Having worked and lived in South Africa, Spain, the United Sates and the United Kingdom, he has a deep understanding of international markets and multicultural environments that enables him to navigate and solve complex global business challenges. Lionel holds an MBA from Milpark Business School and began his career as an Air Traffic Controller and Aircraft Maintenance Technician.

Dawit Woubishet Teklemariam

FIATA

Dawit Woubishet has served as the Chair of the FIATA Airfreight Institute (AFI) since 2021. He is the Director of WoubGet Holdings, overseeing a diverse group of companies specializing in transportation, logistics, and modern service provision. With over two decades of experience in high-profile executive roles, Dawit is known for his effective leadership, integrity, and strategic decision-making. He has a proven record of successful startup financing, mergers and acquisitions, and growth management. Dawit is also dedicated to team building and talent development, believing in teamwork and channeling human capital. He serves on several boards, including the Ethiopian Freight Forwarders & Shipping Agents Association and the Ethiopian Management Professionals Association. Dawit has received numerous certificates and awards for his professional achievements and holds an MBA in Leadership and Entrepreneurship.

Kai Domscheit

CHI Deutschland Cargo Handling GmbH

For over seven years, Kai Domscheit has been a young, passionate, and noteworthy leader in Europe’s leading air cargo hub located in Frankfurt airport, Germany. You may know him from his work as CEO at CHI Deutschland Cargo Handling GmbH, but Kai can also be credited with contributions to exponentially grow and transform the company’s group revenue from 20 million€ to well over 150 million€ in less than seven years, making it the largest ground handler by tonnage in FRA three years in a row. He has been recognized by his disruptive hands-on management style without being afraid to take calculated risk. Kai is responsible for the group’s strategy as well as the implementation of the digitalization of the group’s business models. He currently lives in Wiesbaden, Germany with his wife Adrienne and two children. When he is not busy with disrupting the air cargo industry, you can find him on the local golf courses or hunting in the nearby woods.

Matt Petot

Cargo Ai

Matt Petot’s career has always been focused on logistics, airfreight and innovation. Starting with DB Schenker in Australia, followed by positions in Air France KLM Cargo and Martinair based in New York and Paris, and finally Dyson in Singapore these experiences were integral to setting his sights on transforming the air cargo industry through innovation and digitalization. Matt also founded two other start ups in Singapore before creating CargoAi in 2019 which is disrupting airfreight procurement and sales processes for all industry players through providing customer centric digital solutions

Olivier Veyrac

Cargo Ai

Bob Rogers

ULD Care

Bob Rogers has been around ULD since the early 80’s, so over 40 years. During that time Rogers was responsible for the operations of Nordisk Aviation Products across Asia Pacific. After retiring from commercial activities Rogers continued to be active in the industry through involvement in standard setting activities in IATA and in promoting a better understanding and treatment of ULD through ULD CARE where he is the Vice President and Treasurer. Rogers is also the author of the publication ULD Explained ( available on the ULD CARE on line store).

Chris Notter

Independent Consultant

Chris Notter started as a Customs Officer and then went into freight forwarding, before entering the airline side of the business and spending almost 29 years with German carrier Lufthansa. Notter has held other senior industry roles including Vice President Cargo Operations at Qatar Airways and he was also previously Vice President Operations. Notter then moved onto his current role as Chief Ground Handling Officer at Saudi Airlines Cargo after joining the airline in 2014. He now currently holds various consultancy roles.

Kester Meijer

KLM Cargo

Kester Meijer works at KLM Cargo as Director Operational Integrity, Compliance & Safety. Meijer is member of the KLM Cargo management team. Meijer has extensive knowledge and experience in both Air Cargo Supply Chain Logistics, Compliance and ICT. Putting this unique combination to work on connecting with stakeholders and orchestrating innovative concepts, where processes are combined with new technology and standards. Meijer strongly believes our industry is in the era of a paradigm shift, where Data, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things and Blockchain will provide new ways to collaborate and connect.

Brendan Sullivan

IATA

Brendan has been part of the IATA Cargo team for the past 10 years and in the cargo industry for nearly 20 years. Brendan is a great role model in providing valued expertise to the industry on cargo markets, e-commerce, operations, safety issues and a well-respected voice in the industry. Brendan is passionate about finding innovative solutions and delivering excellent industry focused solutions. Brendans previous role as Head, E-commerce & Cargo Operations included developing safe and efficient standards for cargo operations, handling, facilities, e-commerce, air mail and ULDs, working closely with airline, ground handling, freight forwarding and industry partners. Previously he was part of the IATA Dangerous Goods team, working on the dangerous goods publications portfolio. Brendan is also the co-developer of the IATA Future Air Cargo Executive (FACE) program. IATA’s program designed to attract, develop and retain talent in the air cargo industry.

Uwe Beck

Becon Projects GmbH

Stuart Maddocks

Clemorton and Curriculo

Stuart Maddocks, Director, Calibrate Learning and Calibrate Technology Over the last 20 years he has worked with a vast array of Global companies and their leadership teams. To keep up with the latest innovations and cutting-edge technology he has also remained close to the start-up and scale up ecosystem across Europe, the USA and within the UK. Culminating in him personally coaching some of the UK’s top Founders and CEO’s of current high growth SME’s and some well-known leaders in the corporate world. He was Programme Lead for the UK Government Growth Programme for High Growth Businesses in the UK, and has been a trainer, mentor and coach on the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Programme. In his work at Clemorton and Calibrate Stuart primarily helps organisations across all sectors to become more effective through developing their Senior Leadership, sales teams and management populations – making them better equipped to handle the challenges that come their way. From Strategic Planning, Decision Making, Negotiation and Sales, Change Management and operational leadership; their experience in working in partnership with large and small organisations allows them to blend theory and practice seamlessly to give groups and individuals different ways of working to increase results and overall staff satisfaction. His companies have worked globally with over 500 organisations in more than 30 countries in the last 20 years and have collectively helped to develop well over 100,000 leaders and innovators during that time. Stuart brings with him 20 years of consulting and executive coaching experience. Prior to joining Clemorton he spent 10 years in senior management roles within Large Scale Media and Pharmaceutical companies – allowing him to understand the difficulties of leading, selling and working in complex high performance environments. Stuart has consulted Internationally for many organisations, including for the likes of; DHL, The NHS, Oracle, Google, Swissport, Trint, HSBC, Lloyds Bank, Lufthansa, British Gas, Sanofi, and The British Government He has also lectured extensively on matters relating to Management and Leadership, Change, Sales and Negotiation as well as Strategy and Business Growth at University College London, Kings College London, Syracuse University New York, The University of Sussex, York St John, Brighton University and Loughborough University in The United Kingdom. He also holds an Honorary Research Position at University College London.

Linda Arvanitopulu

Golden Support

Linda Arvanitopulu is a dedicated professional in the logistics and aviation industries, with over a decade of experience driving meaningful change. Her journey began at DHL Supply Chain, where she headed the Marketing and Communications department across 17 countries in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Following her successful tenure at DHL, Linda took on the role of Director of Strategy and Marketing at Skyport, a ground handler based in Prague, where she made a significant impact on the company’s recognition and innovation. Today, Linda channels her expertise as an independent professional, offering turn-key solutions in strategy, marketing, PR, business development, and sales to companies in the air cargo sector, helping them achieve greater visibility and success. Linda is also deeply passionate about CSR and the environment, making her work not just about achieving results but also about creating a positive impact.

David Kerr

Independent

David is currently supporting a number of advisory mandates, both independently and with UK and Swiss outfits, Alchemmy Consulting and ValleyRoad Capital respectively, consulting on the aviation sector, specifically Cargo and Logistics. He is exploring opportunities in the Road Feeder Service (RFS) space, to support both suppliers and customers manage this complex, resource-heavy, but essential link in the air freight value chain. David worked at Etihad Airways from 2010 to 2018, as Senior Vice President Cargo, based in the Abu Dhabi HQ, which included responsibility for the Airport Cargo Handling operation (EASC) and a dedicated owned and operated, as well as leased, freighter fleet. David also chaired the JV into valuable cargo with Armaguard (now Etihad Secure Logistics) and the Cargo Management (EGCMC) in support of Etihad Aviation Group investments. He joined the Board of European Cargo Ltd (ECL) as a non-executive director in September 2022 and took on the role as CEO from January 2023 successfully launching a new freighter concept in the market and securing long-term contracts in support of, to date, 4 converted aircraft, with a plan to reach a fleet of 10 by end of 2025 and an asset valuation over 5 times the initial investment. David was concurrently involved in the business plan for Priority 1 Logistics supported by BlackRock Asset Management and Citibank, embarking on a series of roadshows in Europe and Asia, to raise finance for a unique asset-based Airfreight and Perishable commodity business plan, valued at over $800m. Earlier engagements included as CEO and Accountable Manager at CargoLogicAir, an airline registered in the UK. Previous tenure at American Airlines saw him in international leadership roles in London and Singapore in both passenger and cargo divisions. His early career was with Anglo-Dutch multinational Unilever, after completing a degree at Manchester University. David maintains a Fellowship of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Serkan Eren

MNG Airlines

In 1997, Serkan Eren started to work in the logistics sector and accomplished in road, air cargo, integrator, courier, logistics,sales, forwarding, airline senior management levels in Danzas and DHL Express in Turkiye and various countries in Europe and Middle East. After returning back to his home country, Serkan joined MNG Airlines in 2010. Since 2014, he has been working as Ground Operations Director. Serkan has over 25+ years of senior leadership experience in logistics, forwarder, airline, sales, ground / cargo handling , aircargo processes at aviation industry and 10+ years of MNG Airlines experience. In addition to his roles at MNG Airlines he is a board member of UTIKAD (Turkish Forwarding and Logistics Association), Vice President of the Turkish Air Cargo Committee. He holds various positions such as at FIATA Advisory Body on Safety and Security (ABSS) and Airfreight Institute (AFI), Representing FIATA on European Union DG TAXUD ICS2 Release2 Team and at IATA Ground Operations Safety&Security Working Group Member etc.. He is also an instructor of "Airline Transport Operations" in FIATA Diploma Program and provides several trainings at various universities. Serkan Eren is married and has twins.

Esad Cakici

easie by ICRON

As VP of Operations at easie by ICRON, Esad leads the growth of ICRON’s aviation solutions, driving operational and commercial success across Air Cargo, Ground Operations and MRO. He oversees strategic initiatives that address the complex needs of the aviation sector, leveraging his extensive experience in aviation technology to drive operational improvements. His leadership ensures that ICRON’s solutions align with industry demands, fostering sustainable growth and enhancing performance across global airline operations.

Pedro Garcia

Worldwide Flight Services

International MBA by ESADE Barcelona and Executive Education certified by IESE, Pedro started his career in Ferrovial one of the main European construction companies assuming different senior responsibilities mainly in controlling and system automation and digitalization, mostly in Spain and Portugal. Prior to joining WFS, Pedro Garcia spent 10 years with Swissport, as one of the senior managers selected by Ferrovial to optimize the company, including the last five years in the role of Vice President, Cargo Information Systems. Pedro is also a Program and Project Manager certified (PMP) by the London Chamber of Commerce. At SATS EMEAA, he is responsible for the development of robust, sustainable and standard IT solutions that will support SATS and its customers as SATS EMEAA continues to efficiently grow its global airport services portfolio. This has included among other achievements, the creation of departments as Business Intelligence and Cybersecurity as well as the migration to AWS and standardization of business solutions.

Dr. Emre Serpen

Innovation Showcase, TroyAvi

Dr Serpen provides business and digital strategy and transformation expertise. He established and led aviation practices for leading business consulting and digital transformation companies in US, Europe and Middle East. As an airline executive he led strategy and transformation activities reporting to CEO and the board. Over the past 40 years he worked with 60+ airlines and airports and logistics companies in 50+ countries. He is focused on development executable strategies and execution in both business and digital transformation, developed process and performance management models implemented in multiple clients. As a former Air cargo executive he successfully implemented digitisation programs achieving lead time reductions and productivity improvements. Emre is the co-founder and chief executive of TroyNet, company established in 2021 for the implementation and management executive management of the Turkiye's first airport community platform for digitisation of air cargo logistics between stakeholders including freight forwarders, trucking and ground handling companies, airlines, customs brokers, customs and payment gateways. TroyNet works closely with IGA and Kale Logistics in execution.

Mukesh Mudholkar

Kale Logistics Solutions

Mukesh Mudholkar, with over three decades of experience in the aviation and logistics sectors, currently spearheads the GALAXY platform at Kale Logistics Solutions. This cutting-edge, cloud-based digital platform is meticulously crafted to optimise cargo operations, thereby bolstering visibility and operational efficiency. GALAXY has achieved widespread implementation at airports across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the United States, catering to international, domestic, and courier lines of business. Mukesh's professional journey commenced at Air India in India, followed by a tenure at Singapore Airlines, where he oversaw passenger and cargo operations in Saudi Arabia. His tenure with esteemed Ground Handling Agents (GHAs) and General Sales Agents (GSAs) broadened his expertise across diverse geographies and facets of the air cargo business. Having transitioned into the IT industry nearly two decades ago, Mukesh amalgamates profound, hands-on expertise in air cargo with a forward-thinking technological approach. He ardently advocates for innovation, firmly believing that while the industry has made significant strides, harnessing evolving technologies is imperative to expedite growth and unlock its full potential.

Bas Vermeer

Unilode

Bas Vermeer is a Dutch national with 25 years of experience in IT and Digitalisation. After an initial start as a Logistics Strategy Consultant for Deloitte & Touche Bakkenist, Bas joined Philips in 2003, where he worked in various roles in IT. In his last role as VP Applications and Infrastructure he was responsible for IT Services for Philips across all Business Units globally. In 2014 Bas joined T-Systems, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, where he managed all IT delivery to Shell as VP Delivery for six years after which he became responsible for the Private Global Cloud portfolio of T-Systems. He joined Unilode in January 2023 as Chief Information Officer where he is managing IT, Analytics and the Digitalization journey of Unilode. Bas has a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering and Management Science from Eindhoven University of Technology, and completed his PhD in IT and Logistics titled: “Data Quality and Data Alignment in E-business” from the same University. Bas speaks Dutch and English fluently, and is proficient in German.

Speakers

Aviation Connect – Air Cargo Handling & Logistics (ACHL)