Change at Cathay Pacific Cargo

Goodbye James, Hello Simon!

The Swire Group, parent of Cathay Pacific Airways, made several management changes at the carrier. Of particular interest to the air freight community is the appointment of Simon Large as Director Cargo, replacing James Woodrow, who will become Managing director at The China Navigation Company (another Swire subsidiary).

All of us in the cargo community will miss James, who, as well as running the show at Cathay Pacific Cargo, was the Chairman of IATA’s Cargo Committee, and a passionate advocate for our industry. He was also a frequent speaker at our own Cargo Facts Asia events. We will all miss him, and wish him well in his new post.

Simon Large, who will take over Cathay’s cargo operations, is currently the airline’s General Manager Marketing, Loyalty Programs & CRM. He joined the Swire group in 1991 and has worked in a variety of management positions within Cathay Pacific, as well as postings at Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals (Hactl) and tea grower/importer Finlays, part of the Swire group.

James Woodrow’s predecessor in the cargo division, Nick Rhodes, is also on the move, promoted from Cathay’s Director People, to Staff Director of John Swire & Sons, Hong Kong. He will be replaced at Cathay by Tom Owen who has been with the airline in a variety of senior positions since 1995 – except for a brief stint in 2011/12 at Swire’s Steamships Trading Company.

And finally, Paul Loo will become Director Corporate Development, responsible for the development of the carrier’s networks and long-term strategic direction. Mr Loo joined Cathay Pacific in 1991 and has held a number of senior positions in the airline. He joined Cathay in 1991, and is currently General Manager China. He replaces James Barrington who will become Group Director Airframe Services at Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company Ltd (HAECO, also a Swire company).