December is traditionally the preferred month for a job change. This certainly appears to be the case for Andreas Pauker, Head of Communications at Lufthansa Cargo, and Fabian Mettler, in a similar function over at Swiss World Cargo. Since CargoForwarder Global (CFG) has enjoyed good professional working relationships with both gentlemen, they will be sorely missed in their respective press offices. Reason enough for CFG to acknowledge their contributions and say “thank you” in this personal dedication for the long-lasting close cooperation, based on trust and fairness.
Hey, LH Cargo Board Members, Dorothea von Boxberg, Ashwin Bhat, and Harald Gloy! You ought to put up a large plaque at the Frankfurt headquarters with the names of deserving company
spokespersons - as a thank-you and recommendation for the successors to follow. If we were allowed to decide, the names of these outstanding communicators should be on the board: Dietrich Seidel,
Nils Haupt, Matthias Eberle, Peter Schneckenleitner, Thomas Jachnow, Stefan Hartung, Michael Goentgens and - as the latest entry - Andreas Pauker.
Like Andreas Pauker, all these colleagues were or still are shining examples of excellent communications work, setting an example for other freight carriers. In fact, Lufthansa Cargo is a hotbed
of media creativity, as a long-term comparison with the media activities of its competitors more than clearly demonstrates.
An ambassador leaves
So, now Andreas is leaving the press department after 7 years as a company spokesman. With his departure, the freight carrier loses a loyal ambassador who has always succeeded in communicating
company issues to us media representatives diplomatically, clearly, and often personally. He organized many a press trip, but never pushed himself into the foreground. Instead, he directed things
rather discreetly, yet highly efficiently, from the second row.
No, Andreas was not and is not a megaphone.
Material for many books
During his time at Lufthansa Cargo, events sometimes came along thick and fast, as he describes here, in his own, matter-of-fact way:
“I remember the partly profound changes resulting from C40 and ProFlex (cost-saving programs); Neo (cargo terminal) becoming Evo; joint ventures and new belly contracts being announced;
products being launched and some discarded; subsidiaries being founded; Lufthansa Cargo’s 25th anniversary… the meetings and webcasts hosted; aircraft ordered, decorated, named, and bid farewell.
Like many others, I will keep special memories of the first pandemic year 2020, that was a (positive!) rush for me between home office, crisis room, pharma hub, and apron: Showing dozens of
German and international TV teams and other media the highly relevant contribution to global supply and world trade that we make here every single day, was extraordinary and professionally very
fulfilling for me.”
Boredom was a foreign word for him
Through him, numerous news items were sent around the globe and, if required, detailed in personal conversation with us journalists. Here are just 3 examples from the plethora of his
communications:
On 27MAY15, he announced that Lufthansa had issued an immediate ban on the transport of hunting trophies from Africa. Animal rights activists celebrated the boycott as a great success, also
because this increased the pressure on other airlines to follow Lufthansa’s example.
A year later, on 16MAY16, he announced that Lufthansa Cargo had been awarded the “Corporate Social Responsibility Industry Award 2016” by a panel of experts in Hong Kong - in recognition of its
commitment to Cargo Human Care.
Finally, on 12OCT18, he announced that Brussels Airlines' cargo capacity would be managed by Lufthansa Cargo with immediate effect and that all shipments would be assigned Lufthansa Cargo's AWB
No. 020.
It has been a pleasure…
So much for this short review. But what made him decide to leave? He remains vague about it, diplomatically reserved: A change of career is healthy, mastering new challenges and gaining new
experience is appealing, change is a constant, is roughly his reaction.
All that is known, is that he wants to take a break of some weeks to restart his career thereafter. “But not in the air cargo sector,” he concludes.
He finally said goodbye to the employees of Lufthansa Cargo with these words:
“It has been a pleasure for me to celebrate the much-lauded Cargo Spirit together with you every day anew. Without this upright, down-to-earth, pragmatic and goal-oriented attitude, it would
hardly have been possible to adequately meet the many challenges and chances of the past seven years.”
Reason enough to publish here some testimonials regarding Andreas Pauker’s work.
Fokko Doyen / Head of Cargo Human Care (CHC e.V.)
Lufthansa Cargo, Andreas Pauker, and Cargo Human Care... for me, as Chairman of CHC and Cargo Captain (retired), they absolutely belong together. The reason CHC, our aid project in Kenya, has
been able to grow so enormously in recent years is also because Lufthansa Cargo has supported it massively from the very beginning. Yes, we became Lufthansa Cargo's social figurehead.
“Do good and talk about it” has been my motto for many years. Without a mouthpiece like the Cargo press department - and above all Andreas - Cargo Human Care would never have been able
to achieve such worldwide attention among Lufthansa Cargo's cargoauts and partners. Without Andreas' connection to the Hessischer Rundfunk (TV / Radio), or various print media and online
services, there would not have been so many TV documentaries and articles.
No matter which actions we had planned in favor of underprivileged people in Kenya - we could always rely on the full support "from Pauker" as press spokesperson. The distribution of news from
our projects, appeals for donations, reports from events in Nairobi or Marsabit in the north of Kenya.... was all simply a matter of course for Andreas.
We could rely on people all over the planet being informed about all the latest developments at CHC via the social media channels - including, of course, the decoration of the B777 FOX INDIA as a
CHC ambassador with the picture of children from the Mothers' Mercy Home in Nairobi taped to the aircraft’s fuselage.
Thank you, Andreas, for your close connection with Cargo Human Care - that is Cargo Spirit in action! Thank you also for so endearing our aid project to your team.
Wherever your journey takes you now, I hope that you will remain closely connected to our project. And from the bottom of my heart, I wish you a good new start.
Sincerely, FD
Jochen Remmert, Editor, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
Whenever I had an idea for a new story about Lufthansa Cargo’s air freight business, Andreas Pauker was my first and absolute reliable contact person at the carrier, to implement it. I always
could count on his professional and friendly support, regardless of the topic. No matter what we spoke of and how deep we got into a subject, Andreas was always 110% loyal to his employer,
Lufthansa Cargo. Despite my efforts to unlock strategic or operational issues discussed within Lufthansa, he remained tight-lipped.
I remember Andreas Pauker’s outstanding support for realizing a recent story about the cargo business as bearer of hope for the entire Lufthansa Group, which got badly hit by the pandemic,
fighting for survival. This allowed me a deeper insight into the topic, enabling our readers to better understand the devastating effects of the pandemic on aviation. The same applies to my
coverage of the MD-11 farewell ceremony when the last “Eleven” left Lufthansa Cargo’s fleet in mid-October.
Finally, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for your professional support, Andreas. Press relations managers like you are becoming a rare species.
I wish you all the best, J.R.
Kurt Hofmann, Aviation editor and correspondent for Air Transport World and Aero International
I got to know and appreciate Andreas many years ago at various events organized by Lufthansa Cargo, and at press conferences in and around Frankfurt. Above all, I have positive memories not only
of his always friendly manner, but also of the detailed information and - moreover, always important for us aviation journalists – the speed at which he reverted with answers.
Looking back, I particularly remember a trip with MD-11 captain, Fokko Doyen, to Nairobi to visit Cargo Human Care, and an interview with the Lufthansa Cargo Executive Board on site. Andreas
orchestrated the entire project remarkably well for the participating journalists.
Another unforgettable event was an appointment in Tokyo with (former) CEO, Peter Gerber, at the signing of the route cooperation between ANA Cargo and Lufthansa Cargo. After the official event,
we went to a bar where Peter Gerber - singing karaoke - revealed himself as a musical talent. The whole event, but especially this evening, was unforgettable.
Looking back, I can say that there are probably tiny little cargo shipments flowing through Andreas Pauker's veins, because if anyone from the press office truly lives Lufthansa Cargo, it was
definitely him.
I regret all the more that he has decided to leave the company. It is, and I am not alone in this opinion, a great loss for us journalists, but above all for Lufthansa Cargo.
Andreas, I wish you all the best, K.H.
Fabian leaves Swiss World Cargo
There are not only changes at Lufthansa Cargo's Corporate Communications, headed by Jacqueline Casini, but also at its sister company, Swiss World Cargo in Zurich. Cargo Communications Executive,
Fabian Mettler had his last working day on Thursday (09DEC21). On this occasion, the US-born manager sent us these lines:
“Leaving Swiss was, of course, a difficult decision, as I really enjoyed my time at the airline and its freight division. But soon I will be moving to a startup focused on climate change and
sustainability, here in Zurich. In my absence, Alexandra Dahl (Senior Manager, Head of Marketing and Communications) will take over media relations for the time being, and then we will hopefully
welcome someone new to the team soon. You'll definitely hear more from Alexandra in that regard.
It has been a pleasure to work with you over the past years. I wish you and CargoForwarder Global all the best for the future. Have a nice holiday season and best regards to Hamburg!”
Likewise, we wish Fabian all the very best and good fortune for his professional future. Merry Christmas and stay safe!
Heiner Siegmund
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Andreas Pauker (Monday, 13 December 2021 10:44)
Andreas P.
Dear Heiner
I am truly overwhelmed, this is too much praise.
I thank you, Fokko Doyen, Jochen Remmert and Kurt Hofmann for the many compliments. I can only return them to you media professionals, because working with you has always been my great pleasure.
I also want to pass it on to all my fantastic Cargo and Group colleagues who do an outstanding job every day.
You know, when you are able to speak from conviction, it actually makes my job quite easy.
Kudos to my dream team Anne, Carmen, Felina, Franzi, Johanna, Julia, Katharina K, Katharina S, Mira, Nicole and Sabrina.
Let's stay in touch.
Gerton Hulsman (Monday, 13 December 2021 13:00)
I read the report with interest, which illustrates the importance of Andreas Pauker for LH Cargo's external communications in a convincing and multi-faceted way. It is regrettable that he has quit his job, as his exit is a great loss for the airline and especially for Communications. In my role as former head of cargo at DUS and now Commercial Director of Aircargo Consultancy Global (ACG), I only had occasional contact with him. But his professionalism was always impressive.
The cargo industry needs communication managers of his caliber.