As nominations open for the next generation of the Air Cargo Week World Air Cargo Awards, meet our newly established jury. Made up of industry experts, each selected based on their neutrality, knowledge, experience and global diversity, they will play a key role in nominating the final candidates and ensuring the winners are selected based on merit.
Each Award category has clear and well-defined selection criteria that will guide the jury members in their evaluations. This process will be carried out using a standard checklist and template allowing each jury member individually to follow the same process. This will ensure a thorough and balanced outcome with more focus on content and deliverables and less reliance on public voting.
P. Balasubramanian, also known as Bala, is a seasoned professional with over 46 years of experience in the aviation and air cargo industry. He has held senior leadership roles in major airlines and international aviation organisations, including Emirates SkyCargo, Air India, ICAO, IATA and more.
“I find this to be a great opportunity to share my global expertise and experience among my fellow jury persons to select the most deserving candidate in every field,” Bala stated.
“Organisations and individuals, in the course of their professional pursuit, many a time, make great contributions having a high impact on the industry, trade and future. It is but fair that such great contributions are identified, recognised with a larger vision of encouraging future contributions as well.”
Steven Verhasselt graduated in Brussels, from Ehsal with a Masters Degree in Business Administration. He started working for the Regional Development Agency, focused on assisting startup companies with business plans, seed and venture capital. Since 2022, Steven works fulltime for FB Cargo Strategy. He is mostly developing a vision, advising on investment projects, and putting airport cargo development projects in the market.
“I believe there is a need in our industry for a balanced neutral approach when it comes to achievements and future plans of different stakeholders,” Verhasselt outlined. “An award is a recognition of a team effort. Accepting it on stage and taking the credits is great. Taking it home to share it with the team that made it happen is the real reward. I encourage everyone to take part, as it brings the team and the company together.”
Brigitte Gledhill’s air cargo journey began as a Lufthansa Cargo management trainee back in 1996, shuttling between the UK and Germany. After 21 years in very varied international positions covering every angle of air cargo, she became an air cargo journalist and copywriter.
“I feel that the air cargo industry is awash with award ceremonies, many of which appear to lack substance, inclusivity, and governance. The revised Air Cargo Week World Air Cargo Awards 2025 offers a fair, balanced, and transparent set-up where companies will be judged on true merit. I keenly support the development of a more meaningful competition – and one that has the potential to set a quality standard within the air cargo industry,” Gledhill explained.
“We all learn from each other and good ideas should be shared for the benefit of the industry as a whole. The Air Cargo Week Awards give a platform to those who deliver quality and innovation, and offers them the recognition they deserve. It is open to all air cargo companies, regardless of size and irrespective of any marketing budget, and is a fair, democratic, and transparent competition.”
Chris Notter is a renowned aviation specialist with extensive experience in cargo operations and cultural transformation. With a deep understanding of the importance of validation and verification, he has a demonstrable track record of influencing change in people, processes, and performance, resulting in efficiency improvements and increased competency of personnel.
“I agreed to join the jury because I believe in promoting excellence and fairness within the cargo industry. By being part of the panel, I can apply the CARE principles—Commitment, Accountability, Recognition, and Excellence—to ensure that submissions are evaluated with integrity and transparency,” Notter stated.
“My aim is to contribute to a structured and fair process that upholds the credibility of the awards, recognising genuine contributions and encouraging growth and innovation in the industry.
“These awards are important because they set benchmarks for excellence, innovation, and best practices within the cargo industry. They provide a platform for recognising outstanding achievements and motivate individuals and organisations to strive for higher standards. By participating, people not only showcase their accomplishments but also contribute to a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, and industry-wide growth.”
For 20 years Roos Bakker has been working for Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The past 6 years have seen her working as Cargo Partnerships Director. As such, she is responsible for cargo airline routes and network development in key markets Asia and Africa, and is one of the key strategists within the Holland Flower Alliance, set up by Schiphol, KLM and Royal Flora Holland.
Liesbeth Oudkerk is an accomplished executive with over two decades of experience in the aviation industry, holding key leadership roles at Qatar Airways and KLM. Most recently, she served as the SVP Cargo Sales & Network Planning at Qatar Airways, where she also acted as Chief of Cargo, overseeing commercial operations, P&L management, and fleet strategy. At KLM, she excelled in various strategic roles including VP Digital Transformation and VP International Stations, where she managed the airline’s global operations and spearheaded digital and business transformation initiatives, particularly during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Glyn Hughes has been involved in Air Cargo for over 40 years having started his career with British Caledonian in the UK. He joined IATA in 1991 and become IATA’s Global Head of Cargo in June 2014. In February 2021, Glyn joined TIACA as its first Director general.
“I am a firm believer in celebrating success and it’s an honour to be asked to jury such an auspicious jury,” Hughes said. “Success inspires success and success creates positivity and translates into enhanced sense of industry and organisational value so I encourage all organisations to consider nominating themselves.”
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