The air freight veteran, still in charge of IATA Cargo until JAN21, will become Director General of The International Air Cargo Association, taking up his new role on 01FEB21. The position of Director General has never before existed at TIACA and with Glyn Hughes, a UK national and heavyweight in the cargo industry, the association has backed a winner for the new post. Prior to this, Glyn Hughes had applied and been accepted for an early retirement program offered by IATA to its employees.
The announcement of Glyn Hughes' transition from IATA to TIACA is a formidable surprise, at least for all those who are not part of the inner circles of IATA or TIACA. Despite the required media neutrality, it can be said that it is an excellent pick for the latter organization. This, because hardly any other air freight manager is as respected and closely networked on the international stage as Glyn Hughes, who has been with IATA since 1991, pushed forward the organization’s Cargo Accounts Settlement Service (CASS), and initiated many IATA Cargo projects.
New challenge instead of early retirement
Asked about his future workplace, he said that he will remain in Geneva, Switzerland, but will regularly be in Miami, USA - TIACA’s headquarters and administrative center – to exchange views with
the team. “Thanks to Covid-19, we have gained good experience on teleworking and collaboration from home / a distance,” TIACA Chairman, Steven Polmans commented.
In a press release, Glyn Hughes stressed that TIACA’s new forward-driven course motivated him to join the association instead of enjoying early retirement: “Over the past year, TIACA has
fundamentally transformed itself which will enable the association to serve its current members better with greater relevance, and attract new ones. I fully support TIACA’s new direction and its
unique position to unite and represent the entire airfreight industry. I will be honored to work with such an engaged Board of Directors, the team and the members to implement TIACA’s new vision
and mission,” Glyn Hughes emphasized.
Full of charisma
He added to this that “our industry is and will be facing challenging times ahead and I am determined and excited to contribute to making it stronger and to work with all to lead this
industry towards a more efficient and sustainable future.”
“Glyn is a charismatic and a highly respected leader who has an unparalleled track record over the past three decades of driving change in the air cargo industry and promoting its value to
governments, partners, and across the aviation industry,” said Steven Polmans.
“We were looking for an exceptional individual, passionate about the air cargo industry, and committed to making a long-lasting impact: Glyn is exactly the leader we needed! I am thrilled to
have Glyn on board and look forward to working with him in the years to come to realize the potential of the newly transformed TIACA in supporting, leading, and uniting the entire air cargo
industry.”
Céline Hourcade’s interim term ends
His TIACA contract is long-term. “We have discussed break options from both sides, but this is an ongoing contract, and it reflects the interest from both sides to see this as a longer-term
solution and not a short-term, in-between option,” Mr. Polmans explained.
Glyn Hughes will be reporting to TIACA’s Board of Directors and will take over the leading role from Céline Hourcade, appointed in MAY20 by the Board to drive TIACA’s transformation and manage
the association ad interim. Celine has an own consultancy company “and will, after all the great work she has done at TIACA, find some other challenging jobs to do. And for sure, when it
comes to specific projects or for example sustainability, we will continue to work with her too,” Steven Polmans stated.
Heiner Siegmund
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