AIRLINES
Thomas Murphy, executive vice president and COO of Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, decided to retire. Murphy joined Polar, in which Atlas Air Worldwide is the majority shareholder, in July 2009. Prior to working for Polar, he served as senior vice president, aviation Asia Pacific for DHL Express. Previously, Murphy worked at UPS and TWA. Polar is one of DHL’s key partner airlines on intercontinental routes. Under Murphy’s leadership, Polar’s contribution to the DHL network has increased service in the transpacific and intra-Asia markets. A replacement for Murphy, who will continue to grow the relationship between the two companies, will be named.
Etihad Airways appointed Katie Connell, a corporate communications specialist with nearly 20 years of experience, as its head of corporate affairs for the U.S. Connell joins from Airlines for America, the trade organization for the major U.S. carriers. There, she held the position of managing director, airline industry PR and communications. Connell has also spent much of career in management communications roles at Delta Air Lines. She will be based in New York City and be responsible for building and managing the Etihad brand and reputation in the U.S.
Michael Sanfey became interim head of cargo for Aer Lingus Cargo, the flag carrier of Ireland. Sanfey is responsible for the management of all commercial and operational elements of the cargo business. He joined Aer Lingus Cargo in 2013 as business development manager. Sanfey has 20 years of experience in business.
THIRD PARTIES
Air charter broker Air Partner hired two new people to its freight team. Mark Middleton joins as director of business development for freight, Asia Pacific, and Stuart Smith takes on the role of business development manager for freight, MENA and CIS. Middleton has over 31 years of experience in the aviation industry, in both the UK and Singapore. He has spent 15 years working for aircraft operators, and over 15 years working in the air charter broking industry. Smith has seven years of experience in the aviation industry, including five years in the charter broking sector as a cargo director, and two years with Qatar Airways.
Freight forwarder Famous Pacific Shipping Group Australia appointed Andy Johnson to the newly created position of customer service manager for its Sydney office. Johnson’s freight career spans over 24 years in a variety of operations, supply chain, procurement and project management roles. Before relocating from the UK to Australia in 2012, he worked for IEC Europe, a subsidiary of International Express Co. Ltd. (Tokyo). One of the last assignments Andy handled before arriving in Sydney was procurement, supply chain management and operations at the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, for major broadcasters.
The UPS board of directors today named David Abney, presently the company’s COO, as its new CEO and appointed him to the board of directors. Scott Davis, who has served as the company’s chairman of the board and CEO since 2008, will retire from UPS and assume the role of non-executive chairman. Both moves are effective Sept. 1. Abney began his UPS career in 1974 as a part-time package loader. Over the course of his 40-year career, he held various operational positions. As COO, Abney had responsibility for UPS logistics, sustainability and engineering. Prior to becoming COO, he served as president of UPS International. Davis, a 29-year veteran of UPS, joined the company in 1986. UPS named Brendan Canavan, a 33-year UPS veteran, the new president of UPS Airlines. Canavan, 53, replaces Mitch Nichols, who was promoted to senior vice president of transportation and engineering. Canavan returns to Louisville, having lived there from 2004 to 2007 when he managed Worldport, UPS’s global air hub and package sorting facility. In addition, he oversaw the operational integration of Menlo Worldwide Forwarding and the opening of UPS’s dedicated airfreight facility. Most recently, Canavan served as president of UPS Asia Pacific for the past two years. Before leading UPS Asia Pacific, he served as president of UPS’s Northeast District in Europe, based in Brussels, from 2007 to 2012. Canavan began his UPS career in 1981 as a part-time package loader.
Oscar de Bok became CEO for the Asia-Pacific region of DHL Supply Chain. De Bok fills the position vacated by Paul Graham, who transfers to Bonn, Germany, to become DHL Supply Chain’s COO and the CEO for Mainland Europe, Middle East and Africa. De Bok was previously the CEO for DHL Supply Chain’s South and Southeast Asia region, a position he had held since 2010. In his new position, the scope of his responsibility has extended to include the North Asia and the South Pacific sub-regions. De Bok has 25 years of logistics experience. Prakash Rochlani became managing director of DHL Supply Chain Malaysia, and he reports to de Bok. Rochlani joined Al Futtiam Exel joint venture in the Middle East in 2003, and became director of business development for India in 2008. In 2011, he was promoted to vice president business development, South and Southeast Asia.
Steve Williams joined supply chain company Allport Cargo Services as managing director, airfreight. He has previously served as a DB Schenker director and Panalpina’s head of airfreight.