FIATA Leadership and Members Engaging in Singapore

FIATA e-flash

11 November 2025

Air Freight and Digitalisation: Empowering Forwarders in the Digital Age

FIATA was pleased to participate in tlacSEA 2025, a key platform for collaboration and dialogue in one of Southeast Asia’s leading logistics hubs. The event offered a valuable opportunity to reconnect with regional partners, just weeks after the successful 2025 FIATA World Congress in Hanoi.

FIATA’s Director General, Dr Stéphane Graber, was invited to deliver a keynote address on the opening day of Transport Logistics and Air Cargo Southeast Asia (tlacSEA) 2025 in Singapore, titled Reimagining Airfreight: Digital Standards in Action. He highlighted that disruption has become the new normal, driving transformation across the logistics industry and challenging leadership to turn uncertainty into strategic direction.

The industry is undergoing profound change, where resilience is not just necessary—it is a critical imperative. Sustainability is no longer “nice to have” and digital transformation continues to accelerate, enabling greater efficiency and improved environmental performance. Companies that fail to adapt risk falling behind in an increasingly competitive and technologically advanced logistics landscape.

In this evolving and complex environment, FIATA supports freight forwarding companies, ranging from SMEs to large global players, by providing knowledge, tools, training, and advocacy. FIATA ensures their voice is heard in international policy discussions, promoting regulatory frameworks that foster business development and innovation.

Air Freight: Strengthening Security and Efficiency Through Global Collaboration

From left to right: Alvin Lau, Executive Director, Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA-APAC); Dr Stéphane Graber, FIATA Director General; Tony Lugg, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Project Argus Pte Ltd; Zeta Loo, Head of Commercial Operations APAC, CHAMP Cargosystems; and Sam Howard Gould, Head of Cargo, dnata Singapore.

Following the keynote, FIATA’s Director General joined a panel titled Advancing Security and Safety in Air Freight Transportation to Ensure Seamless Operations, alongside Tony Lugg, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Project Argus Pte Ltd; Zeta Loo, Head of Commercial Operations APAC, CHAMP Cargosystems; and Sam Howard Gould, Head of Cargo, dnata Singapore, moderated by Alvin Lau, Executive Director, Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA-APAC).

FIATA emphasised the challenge of balancing cargo security with operational efficiency, which demands agility, streamlined processes, and shared responsibility among all stakeholders.

Security is a critical priority, with disruptions costing the global air cargo sector an estimated USD 6–8 billion annually due to delays, penalties, and emergency diversions. As global e-commerce and small-shipper consignments grow at double-digit rates, new safety and security challenges emerge. Real-time screening, airport risk management systems, cybersecurity, and origin-level compliance are becoming critical components of prevention strategies.

FIATA advocates for greater cooperation and harmonisation across regions to address fragmented compliance standards. It actively contributes to collective efforts through initiatives such as its Model Agreement for PLACI (pre-loading advance cargo information) Multiple Filing Bilateral Arrangements, participation in Cargo iQ, contributions to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Cargo Handling Manual revision, and its role in the ULD (Unit Load Device) Care Advisory Group.

FIATA at tlacSEA: FIATA Leadership and Members in Action

From left to right: Minh Nguyen Duy, FIATA Region Asia-Pacific Chair; Tony Anh, Deputy General Director of ITL Corporation; Assoc. Prof. Dr Ho Thi Thu Hoa, Vice-President, Vietnam Association for Logistics Manpower Development (VALOMA); and Thanh Tuan Vi, VP SCM & Logistics Asia Pacific, Schaeffler.

FIATA, represented by FIATA Region Asia-Pacific Chair Minh Nguyen Duy, moderated the Vietnam-focused panel Transforming Transport Logistics Through Technology and Regional Connectivity promoting Vietnam as an emerging logistics powerhouse in the region. The panellists Tony Anh, Deputy General Director of ITL Corporation; Assoc. Prof. Dr Ho Thi Thu Hoa, Vice-President, Vietnam Association for Logistics Manpower Development (VALOMA); and Thanh Tuan Vi, VP SCM & Logistics Asia Pacific, Schaeffler, provided insightful perspectives on Vietnam’s growing role in global supply chains. The territory benefits from a strong customer base that ensures consistent cargo volumes, enhanced connectivity, a strategic geographic location, and a supportive logistics policy and governmental framework.

Speakers highlighted that speed, technological innovation, and a clear governmental vision are key drivers of Vietnam’s continued success as a logistics hub. These elements were also demonstrated with the organisation of the 2025 FIATA World Congress in Hanoi, Vietnam, which received strong support from both the government and the logistics community.

FIATA Members actively participated throughout tlacSEA 2025, contributing their expertise, sharing insights, and reinforcing the strong presence and collaborative spirit of the FIATA community in shaping the future of logistics in the region.

From left to right: Samantha Sim, Business Development Supply Chain, Topocean; Yukki Nugrahawan Hanafi, FIATA Senior Vice-President; Jens Roemer, FIATA Senior Vice-President; Iman Gandi Mihardja, Secretary General, Indonesian Logistics and Forwarders Association (ALFI/ILFA); Ardani Pratama Yahya, Vice-Chair for Air Cargo, ALFI/ILFA ; and Dr Stéphane Graber, FIATA Director General.

From left to right: Gianluca Marcangelo, Head of Industry Relations and Marketing, Challenge Group; Dr Thomas Sim, FIATA President; Dr Stéphane Graber, FIATA Director General.

From left to right: Dr Stéphane Graber, FIATA Director General; Đỗ Xuân Quang, Vice-President VietJet; and Glenn Shire, Secretary General, Federation of Airline General Sales Agents (FEDAGSA).

From left to right: Ken Ngan, Group Chief Executive Officer, CK Shipping; Dr Thomas Sim, FIATA President; Gina Toh, Director, DAP Asia Pacific; and Dr Stéphane Graber, FIATA Director General.

From left to right: Rudy Suharto, founder of AON World; Dr Stéphane Graber, FIATA Director General; Minh Nguyen Duy, FIATA Region Asia-Pacific Vice-Chair; Tony Anh, Deputy General Director of ITL Corporation; and Thanh Tuan Vi, VP SCM & Logistics Asia Pacific, Schaeffler.

From left to right: Carlo Paravani, President Euro Cargo Express (ECX); Dr Stéphane Graber, FIATA Director General; and Ronnie Leung, Vice-Chair, Hong Kong Association of Freight Forwarding & Logistics (HAFFA).

Air Freight: Engagement with Airline Industry Leaders

FIATA Director General, Dr Stéphane Graber and Etihad Chief Cargo Officer, Stanislas Brun.

FIATA took the opportunity to engage with airline representatives—such as Cathay Pacific and Etihad—as well as IATA officials present at the event. Discussions centred on the shared objective of modernising the Global Air Cargo Programme and enhancing its relevance for today’s industry needs. Both stakeholders expressed strong support for a more direct and collaborative dialogue to address the evolving operational challenges of the airfreight sector and to jointly explore solutions that benefit the entire logistics ecosystem.

Maritime: Steering Digital Transformation Through Collaboration

FIT Alliance Members from left to right: Hannah Nguyen, Direct of Digital Ecosystems, International Chamber of Commerce Digital Standards Initiative (ICC DSI); Dr Stéphane Graber, FIATA Director General; Avanee Gokhale, Global Head - Trade Strategy, Swift; Niels Nuyens, Chief Product Officer, Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA); Grant Hunter, BIMCO Chief Digital Officer and Director of Products; Tianmi Stilphen, Lead Legal Reform, ICC DSI; Omer Guy, General Counsel, DCSA; Rae Amarullah, Director - Industry and Supply Chain, ICC DSI; and Amy Yu-Reis, Partnership Director, Logistics Technology Solution Providers, DCSA.

Maritime digitalisation was also a key focus during FIATA’s visit to Singapore, with the DCSA+ Leadership Forum held in close proximity to tlacSEA 2025. The forum brought together leading figures from the global shipping industry under the leadership of DCSA Chair, André Simha, Chief Information Officer at MSC, to discuss the future of digitalisation in maritime logistics and the DCSA roadmap for the year ahead.

The Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA) is a non-profit organisation founded in 2019 by nine of the world’s largest container shipping companies, including MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, ONE, Evergreen, Yang Ming, HMM, and ZIM. Its mission is to drive standardisation and digital transformation across the container shipping industry.

FIATA’s Director General was honoured to attend this inaugural edition and deliver a keynote address, sharing FIATA’s perspective on the evolution and digital transformation of both the logistics and maritime sectors. The event also marked a rare in-person gathering of all FIT Alliance members—BIMCO, DCSA, FIATA, ICC DSI and Swift—highlighting the importance of this initiative in fostering cross-sector collaboration and driving the adoption of industry-wide standards and innovation beyond traditional boundaries.

FIATA once again demonstrated its thought leadership in shaping a vision for a digital and sustainable supply chain, across all modes of transport and beyond borders.

Training and Professional Development: Shaping Future Logistics Leaders

On 24 October, FIATA President, Dr Thomas Sim and FIATA Director General, Dr Stéphane Graber were honoured to participate in the Singapore Logistics Association (SLA) Award Ceremony, where they presented the FIATA Diploma in Freight Forwarding to a new cohort of graduates.

In the FIATA Director General's keynote speech—delivered in the presence of three FIATA Presidents, past and present, Kan Tan Hock (1991-1993), Stanley Lim (2011-2013), and Dr Thomas Sim (2025–2027), as well as newly elected FIATA Senior Vice-President Yukki Nugrahawan Hanafi—the Director General reflected on the high calibre of talent emerging from SLA and reaffirmed the enduring importance of people in the logistics industry.

Despite the sector’s rapid shift toward digitalisation and automation, he emphasised that human expertise, leadership, and adaptability remain central to progress. The transformation of logistics demands a new kind of leadership—one that connects technology, people, and purpose.

Dr Graber highlighted that meaningful progress in logistics begins with people, noting: “None of these transformations will succeed without people. It is your generation that will lead this transition, bringing new ideas, fresh energy, and renewed purpose.”

Looking ahead, the future of employment in logistics will be shaped by a transition from manual tasks to roles requiring technical proficiency and knowledge-based skills. This shift will create significant demand for capacity building, an area where FIATA is committed to supporting its Members. Professionals will need to understand automation, data, emissions, and compliance, while new roles emerge in AI operations, data analytics, cybersecurity, and green logistics.

At the same time, soft skills and adaptive management are becoming just as vital to navigate the increasingly complex and interconnected global supply chain. In this context, academic and vocational training must complement each other and align with today’s logistics challenges.

FIATA President Dr Thomas Sim highlighted the role of education in shaping the next generation of logistics professionals, stating: "The knowledge gained [...] is more than academic. It is a tool to create value, a voice to lead change, and a vision to serve society."

This vision will continue to guide FIATA’s education strategy, preparing the next generation of industry leaders—and future leaders of FIATA itself. The Director General noted that some of those receiving their diplomas during this ceremony, through FIATA’s training programmes delivered by SLA, may well be among those future leaders, reflecting the strength and promise of the talent nurtured through this collaboration.

The number of graduates from the FIATA Higher Diploma in Supply Chain Management has grown by an impressive 215% since 2024, with graduates from the Asia-Pacific region representing 73% of the cohort.

For more information on FIATA's training programmes, click here.

FIATA Director General, Dr Stéphane Graber.

FIATA President, Dr Thomas Sim.

HQ Team Update: FIATA Expands its Team to Support Legal, Regional and Digital Workstreams

FIATA is please to welcome João Marcos Piovezan to its HQ Team as a Junior International Trade and Law Officer Officer, supporting the Advisory Body on Legal Matters (ABLM), the Airfreight Institute (AFI), the Region Americas (RAMs), as well as furthering FIATA's Digital strategy.

João has a solid legal background with a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, Brazil, and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in International Dispute Settlement (MIDS) jointly awarded by the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, Switzerland.

Having gained professional experience in leading law firms across Latin America and Europe, João brings to FIATA a strong understanding of international legal frameworks, policy research, and stakeholder engagement. João looks forward to contributing to FIATA’s efforts to strengthen its institutional frameworks, advance its digitalisation initiatives, and enhance cooperation within the global freight forwarding and logistics community.