#NexGenLeaders Challenge

Stavros EVANGELAKAKIS was elected Chairman of the Board of the CCA and joined Cargolux in 1989 where he since has worked in various positions such as reservations, sales, marketing   and   cooperate marketing, before he went back in sales. He is a member and driving force of the ‘Keep Cool’ team and is heavily involved promoting Cargolux’ name transporting Temperature sensitive commodities together with this team of specialists. To read more...

As part of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol’s board of directors, Maaike van der Windt is responsible for Aviation Marketing, Cargo & Customer Experience (ACC). ACC’s key aim is to maintain and grow the mainport network and connectivity of the Airport, and support the airlines in network and business development. In short, it’s up to Maaike and her team to keep both Airlines and Passengers satisfied at Schiphol. Maaike has built a rich understanding about the world of aviation based on several management roles within the Aviation Business Development and Strategy teams of Brisbane Airport (2008 - 2016) and prior functions at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (1998 - 2008).

In her free time Maaike enjoys exploring foods and wine, sports (running and boxing), spending time with her family & friends and… travelling!

Following his military service and a 2-year apprenticeship with Thomas Cook, Patrick earned a master’s degree in Public Administration from Konstanz University (Germany). He brings 20 years of aviation industry experience in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas to his current role as Director Aero Business at RIOgaleão, Rio de Janeiro’s international airport. His airport experience includes an internship with the Provisional Airport Authority Hong Kong and more recently the role of Strategic Planning Manager for GRU Airport.

Prior, Patrick worked for 15 years for and with British Airways, which he joined on the company’s General Management Program in 1999 and where his roles included those of VP Commercial Latin America & Caribbean (BA Plc) and Regional Commercial Manager Africa (BA World Cargo). In 2010, Patrick founded Flightplan Airfreight Services (PTY Ltd) as a GSA for BA World Cargo and later Iberia Cargo in South Africa.

Patrick joined RIOgaleão in 2014 as Director Cargo, responsible for the operational and commercial development of the cargo business. Since then, the cargo terminal as earned the IATA CEIV Pharma, ISO 9001 and AEO certifications. In 2016, Patrick assumed additional responsibilities for the airport’s airline and passenger development.

25 years ago, I started at Global Airline Services in Passenger Ticketing & Sales. This didn’t last long as their Cargo department was growing faster and I was introduced to the Cargo Industry.

At the time, US Airways Cargo was subcontracted to Global Airline Services in Holland and a few years later I was running the dedicated GSA for US Airways, under Capitol International. 

After 5 years I looked for another challenge and I joined the Space and Yield Control team of Dragon Air Cargo. During this time, I met great people from the ECS Group, who asked me to set-up Globe Air Cargo in Holland, in 2003. I was 30 years of age. In 2007, I was officially appointed Managing Director.

Today, Globe Air Cargo has 21 staff and still looking for new talents!

My Mantra: “I have never tried that before, so I think I should definitely be able to do that.” 

As CEO Svilen leads the business team at DRONAMICS in developing the world-leading cargo UAV "The Black Swan" - a fixed-wing aircraft that can transport 350 kg at a distance of 2,500 km cheaper than any aircraft in existence.

In 2014 he co-founded DRONAMICS with his brother Konstantin, an aerospace engineer, with a mission to leverage advances in autonomy, aerodynamics and production, in order to democratize air freight and accelerate e-commerce in emerging markets. Svilen and Konstantin are leading a small but growing team of world-class aerospace engineers and logistics experts, and their pioneering work has won them numerous international awards.

In 2018 DRONAMICS became IATA's first strategic partner for drones worldwide. Prior to DRONAMICS, Svilen managed projects in marketing and business development on four continents. He is an Economics graduate of Davidson College, USA

I started on air cargo in January 1992, when I joined Gen-Air.

My first job was in the operations department. In 1999 I went to the commercial department. Since 2014, I have held the position of Commercial Manager. 

My mantra: “Think global, act local.”

Reji is a journalist with 18 years of experience in writing, reporting, editing and collating content across media – print (magazine & newspaper), television and online and has worked with some of the leading media organizations in India. He has written and reported across subjects and beats.

Reji joined STAT Media Group, a global transport and logistics publishing company with four publications and multiple transport and logistics conferences, in 2013 to head its editorial department. He leads a team of young writers and reporters who write for both print and online versions of The STAT Trade Times (monthly), Indian Transport and Logistics News (bimonthly), Logistics Update Africa (bimonthly) and ACAAI News (quarterly). Reji is responsible for all editorial functions at the Group and oversees all content production, including video. Reji is also responsible for the content creation and conference planning of sector specific logistics conferences held in India and Africa. He has been invited to speak at air cargo events in India and Africa and a regular moderator for panel discussion at logistics conferences.

I joined the Air Cargo family in 1985, at that time, I had no clue about this industry and my only aim was to travel the world. I started at the operations where I really learned all the basics. I spent a lot of time on the field and it has given me a strong experience in aviation and airports. 

Then I joined in 2002 a company specialized in charters business where I had not a real expertise. But I have learned, then developed and I became the MD of this company in 2005. In 2011, still running this company, I have been offered the management of one of our major GSSA company in the group where I stayed 5 years.

My new challenge now is our African development where I am using my whole experience.

My Mantra: “I accept what I cannot change to focus on what I can change”

Education: M.Sc. in Industrial Engineering: Lorraine University / Mines de Nancy (France, 2008) & M.Sc. in Economics, Project Management, Performance & Costs Analysis: KTH (Sweden, 2007). 

I have 10 years’ experience in Project & Revenue Management (Cargo & Pax) & Network Planning, within Air France – KLM.   

My mantra: “Be yourself & trust your gut.”

I am French and I am 31 years old. Since I got my Master’s degree in 2011, I have always worked in the air industry, both in passenger and cargo activities. It all started by a coincidence at the time I applied for a position of business analyst in Air France KLM in Spain, and since then I specialized in pricing and revenue management related functions in this industry, with different work experiences in Brussel Airlines, LATAM, Qatar Airways, either at headquarters or outstation level. I am now working at ECS Group, world leading GSSA, as a Commercial Planning Manager based in Paris Headquarters. 

My mantra: “Opportunities don’t happen, you create them.”

I started my career at Lufthansa Passenger in 1980. I moved to the cargo branch in 1995 where I had several positions (Marketing Coordinator Turkey, Sales Coordinator Turkey & Regional Manager Aegean and Mediterranean Turkey at the beginning of the 2000’s). In 2008 I moved to SP Aviation Services Inc. as a Managing Director. Since 2015, I am Managing Director of Globe Air Cargo Turkey, ECS Group’s subsidiary. 

My Mantra: “BE your customer.”

I work at ECS Group for 2 years ago.

My previous Experience: I worked 10 years at Lufthansa Cargo: Management Trainee (1990 – 92), Marketing Manager South and Central America (1993-1996) & General Manager New England (1996-1999). Then, I worked 10 years also at Air Canada Cargo: Sales Manager North America - US (2000-2002); General Manager Continental Europe (2002-2006) & Senior Director Commercial (2006-2010). I moved to Aviation EMAIR in 2011 as Regional Manager before working to DHL Global Forwarding as Head of Key Account Management Germany until 2016.

Mantra: “There is always a way or a solution. You just have to want to look for it and be proactive!”

With a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from Mexico´s National University & a Master of Science Degree in Transportation and Logistics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, I’ve started in the air cargo industry as Asia Sales Director at LanCargo. I am also the Founder of 3HBC Logistics Group. Then I moved to work at ECS Group where I work since 2014. 

My Mantra: “Never, never, never give up.”