Sullivan appointed IATA global head of cargo

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has officially appointed Brendan Sullivan global head of cargo. Sullivan has served as the acting global head of cargo and head of cargo operations and e-commerce for the past six months. [caption id="attachment_96277" align="alignright" width="400"] Brendan Sullivan, global head of cargo, IATA[/caption] Sullivan succeeds Glyn Hughes, who left the position in November 2020, to take on the position of director general of the International Air Cargo Association (TIACA ), a move that created some concern, considering its mid-pandemic timing. Sullivan’s two decades of experience in the industry, including at Air Canada Cargo and IATA, make him highly qualified for the position, said Jim Edgar, senior consultant at Cargo Facts , who became very familiar with Sullivan while at Boeing. “Air Canada Cargo has always been an industry leader and has always attracted very qualified and capable people,” Edgar said. “With a background at Air Canada Cargo, [Sullivan] would come highly qualified and recommended for virtually anything in the industry.” Sullivan also worked closely with his predecessor and is well-positioned to understand the continued development of IATA, according to Edgar. Sullivan “is uniquely qualified for this,” he said. Recently, Sullivan headed two IATA initiatives, the One Source and the Future Air Cargo Executives (FACE) Campaign. The former worked to create a matchmaking platform for industry stakeholders seeking to understand the capabilities — infrastructure and aviation, for example — of potential business partners. The latter aims to attract, develop and retain individuals under 36 years old who may someday lead the air cargo industry. Sullivan’s new role will focus heavily on policy, as opposed to operations, which may be something of a shift for him, Edgar said. His main challenge will be ensuring IATA can stay viable amid a changing business landscape. What the industry needs most right now is a united approach, particularly on the topics of e-commerce, sustainability and international relations, Edgar said. “One of the things that's important for IATA — or any international organization that represents industry members, for that matter — is to get ahead of legislators, community interests and other stakeholders so that you don't find yourself on the receiving end of standards or measures or requirements that are unworkable,” said Edgar Sullivan “recognizes the critical need for modernization to meet the needs of air cargo’s biggest business opportunities — e-commerce and special cargo,” said Nick Careen, senior vice president for operations, safety and security at IATA, said in a press release on the appointment. Sullivan “has the passion to drive a post-crisis agenda that will strengthen air cargo’s contribution to the global economy and to the airline business,” Careen said.

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