Page 15 - STAT October 2023 for Magzter only
P. 15

Neel please tell us what
                                             The second financial            attracted you to be a part of this
                                                                             fintech platform?
                                             product that we are             Shah: Edip and I have known each other for
                                             now developing is               a long time, which is fantastic since you need
                                                                             to be comfortable with each other before
                                             one in which the                entering into such arrangements. One of
                                             parties will pay each           the things that drew me to Airblox was the
                                                                             fact that it is not a counterfeit platform. They
                                             other with no cost              have a clear vision of where they want to go,
                                             associated and the              which is greatly needed, and it allows midsize
                                                                             forwarders, shippers, and airlines to carry out
                                             payments will be                business together, which benefits not just the
                                             done in fraction of             major players but to everyone. Airblox is an
                                                                             incredible platform for forwarders and airlines
                                             the time.                       to connect on long-term capacity needs,
                                                                             something no other platform does effectively.
                                             EDIP PEKTAS
                                                                             What is your aim with Airblox and
                                                                             how is it going to help meet the
                                                                             platform's objectives?
                                            Who are your partners for the    Shah: The chance to get the relevant people
                                            financial platform and what are   and decision-makers on both the forwarding
                                            your other projects that you are   and airline sides and to assist speed on our
                                            focused on?                      decision-making. My goal will be to get Airblox
                                            Pektas: We have a few partners in the   into the hands of the right people.  Since Edip
                                            United States, and we are working to   and his team have done an incredible job, this
                                            expand these services beyond Latin   platform has developed significantly over the
                                            America and Southeast Asia as well. The   last year. Edip has put together a fantastic team,
                                            second financial product that we are now   and I can add to it because I understand the ar-
                                            developing is one in which the parties will   guments that will be made, particularly on the
                                            pay each other with no cost associated and   freight forwarding side, and where we can find
                                            the payments will be done in a fraction of   common ground to really drive development in
                                            the time. This is something that we have   the coming months. That is the strategy!
                                            been working on for a while, and when we
                                            are ready to unleash it, it will be our most   Airblox has been in this industry for
                                            significant technological contribution    over a year now and how has your
                                            to the industry.                 experience been so far?  What are
                                                                             the changes that you have seen in
                                            Neel Jonesh Shah was recently    the industry? Any changes in the
                                            appointed to the board of        consumer behavior or in demand?
                                            directors of Airblox. Please     Petkas: I have been in the industry for five to
                                            explain your strategy for having   six years on a completely different side, and
                                            Shah on the board.               transitioning into sales has been a huge learn-
                                            Pektas: Neel has a unique understanding   ing curve for me. It is trying to understand
                                            of the aviation freight industry. His former   how capacity is seen, then thought through
                                            experience with airlines, as well as his present   and marketed, as well as the digital transfor-
                                                role with Flexport, adds a huge level of   mation that every firm is attempting to do,
                                                   depth to what Airblox is attempt-  and it's a roller coaster ride right now.
                                                      ing to accomplish, which is to   I am glad to see that everyone is aware that
                                                       link both sides under a single   they need to digitise their processes and im-
                                                        marketplace framework.   plement a platform or some type of software
                                                         We are really pleased that   solution to eliminate paperwork, phone calls,
                                                          he has accepted the   and text messages, and then simply pure
                                                           role, and we feel he will   marketplace structure is what everyone wants.
                                                           offer a lot of value in   Acceptance of technology is a mindset that
                                                            the coming months.  has changed or is in the process of changing.

                                                                  www.stattimes.com        | OCTOBER 2023  13
   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20