Marianna Abplanalp appointed IATA Head of Special Cargo
Based in Geneva, she will lead specialised cargo strategy, drawing on experience across semicon, time-critical logistics and global product development.
Marianna Valentina Abplanalp, Head of Special Cargo, International Air Transport Association (IATA)
Marianna Valentina Abplanalp has been appointed Head of Special Cargo at the International Air Transport Association (IATA) from May 2026. Based in Geneva, she takes on the role after more than 10 years at Kuehne+Nagel, where she most recently served as Vice President, Global Air Logistics, Semicon and Cloud Product.
At Kuehne+Nagel, Abplanalp held several senior product and logistics positions between 2016 and 2026, Global Product Manager for Time Critical, and Global Product Development Manager for Air Logistics. Her responsibilities spanned global air logistics, specialised cargo segments, product development, and time-critical transportation.
Before joining Kuehne+Nagel, she worked at Triumph International in Zurich as Global Transportation Specialist from 2014 to 2015, overseeing transportation costs, tenders, freight forwarder management, and logistics operations.
Her earlier tenure at IATA in Montreal from 2012 to 2014 involved Integrated Settlement Systems operations, including systems monitoring, software testing, airline migration support, customer service processes, and revenue accounting coordination.
Abplanalp began her logistics and supply chain career in Italy, working in import and export operations at P&B Logistica e Spedizioni, where she managed shipments across sectors including luxury goods, perishables, dangerous goods, and pharmaceuticals, alongside customs documentation and freight coordination.
Her appointment brings more than 15 years of experience across air cargo, transportation, specialised logistics, product development, and global supply chain management to IATA’s special cargo division as the association continues to focus on sector-specific cargo priorities.
