Celine Hourcade will join The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) as Project Manager from September 2019, supporting the Association’s transformation program.
The first two priorities for Hourcade will be the development of TIACA’s Sustainability Program, including the first Sustainability Award, and the delivery of the Cargo Service Quality (CSQ) objectives for the tool, which went live in February 2019.
She will head up further projects as the Association continues to roll out new transformation initiatives as part of an ongoing drive to grow the organization and deliver a reinvigorated value proposition for members.
“I am very happy and excited that Celine is joining our team,” said Steven Polmans, TIACA Chairman, and Director, Cargo and Logistics, the Brussels Airport Company.
“With her industry knowledge, her passion for air cargo, her experience and expertise, she will be a great addition to the current TIACA team.
“It was, and is, our clear ambition to transform the organisation and deliver more content to our members.
“With Celine on board, we are more than ever ready to do so.
“Celine is very well respected in our industry and did a great job when working for the International Air Transport Association (IATA), no doubt she will continue to do so when working for TIACA and our members.”
Hourcade has 18 years of experience in international business, mainly in the aviation industry, working for WaveStone, Amadeus, and then for IATA for 13 years, joining its Cargo Department in 2008, where she focused on advocacy, sustainability, industry transformation, and innovation projects.
“From the e-ticketing project on the passenger side, to the wonderful world of cargo, I am proud of the transformation initiatives I have been privileged to contribute to, launch, and drive,” said Hourcade
“I am thrilled to join the TIACA team and work with Steven [Polmans, TIACA Chairman], Sanjeev [Gadhia, TIACA Vice Chairman], and Vladimir [Zubkov, TIACA Secretary General] to put sustainability and diversity at the top of its agenda.
“I believe it will address what the industry wants and needs and will further strengthen TIACA’s relevance.
“I am passionate about sustainability in its broader sense and believe that sustainably-minded companies will perform better than average.”
Hourcade has developed a wide range of projects at IATA including the Future Air Cargo Executive (FACE) program to attract, develop, and retain young talent in air cargo, the Air Cargo Makes It Happen campaign, the Air Cargo Carbon Footprint measurement standard, the Global Shippers Surveys, the Air Cargo Innovation Awards, and the StB Cargo program.
Hourcade is also enthusiastic about unmanned aviation and is a member of the Advisory Board of the Swiss drone start-up Rigi Technologies, and the Lake Victoria Challenge, and is part of the World Economic Forum’s Drone Innovators Network.
She has also been recently appointed by Dr John D.Kasarda as Senior Fellow of Aerotropolis Institute China (AIC) and Expert Advisor to the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone (ZAEC).
Celine graduated in 2001 with a MSc in Information and Communication Technology Business Management, from the French “Institut Mines-Telecom Business School”.
“I have known Celine virtually from the first days when she joined the Cargo Department of IATA, where she showed enthusiasm, skill, and dedication, and I welcome her addition to the TIACA team,” said Vladimir Zubkov, Secretary General, TIACA.
Entries are now open for TIACA’s Sustainability Award, which is free to take part in and is open to any person or company related to any aspect of the air cargo industry.
Entries need to address issues relating to the sustainable development of air freight and the winner will receive a USD15,000 prize, with USD3,500 for two runners up.
The winners will be chosen at TIACA’s Executive Summit (ES), which takes place from the 19th to the 21st November 2019 in Budapest, Hungary.
