Page 28 - STAT August 2022 for Magzter

focus

temperature controlled cargo terminals and
I was very warehouses for special cargo products like
perishable and pharma across Europe, Africa
attracted to the Swissport and the US. This includes the latest one in
Vienna. The newly built 8,000 sqm facility is
role, because I've been a located in the DLH SkyLog Park in Fischa-
customer and it's a global mend in the immediate vicinity of Vienna
Airport. Swissport is one of the first movers
job. I really had a clear to the DLH SkyLog Park.
vision of what this business Swissport operates a modern facility at
the Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International
needs from a customer Airport that has IATA CEIV certification both
perspective. So I thought for pharma and fresh produce. Other impor-
tant Swissport pharma centers are located in
it was quite exciting Basel, Brussels and Frankfurt.
Swissport is big in the Americas, Europe
to get the opportunity and Africa. It expects to see significant
when it finally came growth in the Middle East soon. However,
its network in Asia is very limited and Brady
through intends to increase the Asian presence
particularly in India, Indonesia, Malaysia,
Philippines and Vietnam. “We want to enter
these markets with a bit of scale. So it would
ened balance sheet, with total existing debt part of this strategy it was important for Brady be more through mergers and acquisitions
reduced by some 1.9 billion Euros, interest to identify the right talent either from within or partnerships. Asia is definitely on our
costs reduced by approximately 70 million or from outside. As part of the new manage- map,” he said.
Euros and significant liquidity from a new ment structure, he has eight business leaders Swissport participated in the recent bid
term loan and existing cash of roughly 500 who look after the business across the world for the two cargo terminal operations in
million Euros. And this paved the way for and they, according to Brady, are responsible Bangalore International Airport. However
Brady to take up the role. for the P&L. And then he has a central man- the contract to operate the two terminals
“I was very attracted to the Swissport role agement structure to ensure that Swissport for 15 years (starting in May 2023) were won
because I was a customer. I had a very clear continuously and consistently deliver its by Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) and
vision of what this business needs from a cus- service globally. Brady compares that global Menzies Aviation, recently acquired by the
tomer perspective. So I thought it was quite uniform service and quality to something that Agility subsidiary National Aviation Services
exciting to get the opportunity when it finally a Starbucks or an Amazon offers. (NAS). The Swissport chief executive does
came through,” said Brady, who assumed the “We want to be the Amazon of recruit- see the potential for market consolidation in
new responsibility right in the midst of the ment; the Apple of engagement and the the sector in the years ahead. In fact, a few
biggest crisis in aviation’s history. Microsoft of the industry in handling, and years back a private equity company was
One thing was very clear to Brady when cargo,” said Brady. facilitating a merger between Swissport and
he joined the company. “It was very evident Brady made sure that he had an opera- Worldwide Flight Services (WFS).
that we (Swissport) did not leverage our tional system that is very robust and rigorous “I think the next couple of years will see
global scale. We did not drive home what with customer centricity as its foundation. big players in the sector consolidating as the
our competitive advantages were.” He introduced an NPS system that allowed industry has massive growth opportunity,”
So he reached out to the top 100 leaders him regular and instant customer feedback Brady said. “We still see there's a great op-
within the company across continents. coming through his station managers. “That’s portunity over the next three or four years to
He met more than 80 of them and visited quite transformational. It transformed the continue to grow significantly.”
several Swissport stations across the world business from being quite inward looking to Brady is quite pleased with the progress
to meet his people. “I like to be close to our outward looking and customer focused,” he Swissport has made under his leadership in
people and customers and I think that is the said. Such steps allowed Brady to see growth the last one year in making the company
only way we can do well. We are a people momentum. It provided him the tools to re- financially healthy. “I think we've got the
business and we are into operations. There- tain customers and grow his customer base. strongest balance sheet in the industry. We've
fore, I have to be close to the employees and Swissport continues to aggressively grow an appetite for not only organic growth, but
customers.” Brady says he spends more than its air cargo business to participate in strong for mergers and acquisitions. So we're on the
10 days in a month out of the office just to global demand for air cargo logistics and to lookout. We've got an eye for expanding our
meet with people. capture additional market share. The com- markets and growing in our markets.”
Brady’s first priority was to put in place a pany has been making significant invest- Swissport also has also been investing into
management structure with right leaders. As ment in building infrastructure facilities, like its digital transformation projects to enable
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