Virgin Atlantic Cargo names Nick Diesel as new Managing Director
Current head of cargo commercial Mark Faulkner will act as interim MD from 3 June to 3 August.
Virgin Atlantic Cargo has named Nick Diesel as its new Managing Director, effective 4th August 2024.
Before Diesel assumes the position of Managing Director, Mark Faulkner, Head of Cargo Commercial, will be acting as interim MD from 3 June to 3 August 2024.
Throughout his nine-year tenure at Virgin Atlantic, Diesel has held various senior leadership roles, culminating in his position as Vice President of Financial Planning. In this capacity, he skillfully guided the team through post-pandemic recovery efforts and devised strategies to steer the company back to profitability, mentions the official release.
“I am incredibly excited to take on this new challenge. Virgin Atlantic Cargo is one of the most important business units we have, and collectively this team delivered amazing achievements through the pandemic, enabling our recovery. As the world starts to normalise, every day they show an unrivalled ability to adapt to an everchanging world, while maintaining a focus on our customers to deliver the best service possible. The cargo division continues on a successful trajectory for 2024 and I look forward to building on this with the team,” says Diesel.
With a background in strategy and operations consultancy at Deloitte, Diesel has worked across high-profile projects at Virgin Atlantic, including as finance lead for the Expanded Joint Venture agreement with Air France-KLM & Delta Air Lines. When the pandemic struck, he was responsible for co-ordinating the team through the airline’s £1.5bn recapitalisation, enabling its recovery. Diesel succeeds Phil Wardlaw, who has been directing the cargo business in its digital transformation journey since 2021, the release added.
“We are delighted to welcome Nick to Virgin Atlantic Cargo. Nick played a fundamental role during the pandemic transformation, and I know he’ll bring incredible enthusiasm, ambition, and experience to this role. Our Cargo division offers fantastic opportunities for our people, and I look forward to working closely with Nick, as he leads the cargo team into its next phase.
“I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank Phil for more than twenty years of service at Virgin Atlantic and his exceptional leadership of the cargo team. We wish him all the best in his new endeavours,” adds Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer, Virgin Atlantic Cargo.
