#INTHEAIREVERYWHERE

     Jeffrey Van Haeften began his tenure as Vice President Cargo Global Sales at Emirates SkyCargo almost two years ago, having previously gained some vital training in this ever-widening and specialized air cargo business at Martinair Holland, DHL Global Forwarding, and CEVA Logistics.
     Jeffrey is a well-connected key accounts specialist and his rise into top ranks at SkyCargo is apparent. He stepped out into the spotlight in Paris at the TIACA Air Cargo Forum last October with a strong mandate from management to accelerate options and offerings of the cargo program at EK.
     Mr. Van Haeften is a high powered visionaryand achiever who is confident that at this point in time Emirates SkyCargo is positioned as no other carrier to flex its muscular routes and multiple daily services advantage into cities everywhere, backed up by an all-widebodied fleet and also supported by a huge ongoing investment in both major facilities for cargo at the Dubai hub including DXB for passenger & cargo and Dubai World Central where SkyCargo operates a dedicated facility for its all cargo fleet.
     In the SkyCargo plan, Global Sales is a key driver that has been brought on by Nabil Sultan, DSVP Cargo as part of a greatly expanded and increasingly refined approach in quality and service.
     “We have thoroughly examined in fine detail our Global Sales schemes during the past year and a half while operationally added major investments to our hub in Dubai,” Jeffrey Van Haeften declared.
     “SkyCargo has the ability to deliver the goods in specialized shipping such as Pharma at levels of technical precision and quality that are top standard of the world.
     “For example, we now have a global head of sales for Pharma from within the team,” he said.
     “We are also enhancing all our abilities up and down the supply chain to reflect our sophistication and ability to handle all types of commoditized shipments like fashion and automotive for example.
     “The success for us and for our service partners begins by optimizing our network worldwide.
     “We have 41 destinations in Europe and in most cases we fly into cities with multiple frequencies daily.
     “Our ability to move cargo from destinations day and night eliminates the need for truck pick up and extra movement and handling, and consolidations between hubs to catch flights.
     Shipments on Emirates are handled in Europe via our Mega-Hub operation in Dubai, and onto the final destination by utilizing our dense network and air speed, thereby reducing forwarders’costs, and connections that are faster and also more reliable than others who rely on multiple hubs and trucking connections.
     We have asked top managers of the shipping community:
     “Why move your goods in half-loaded trucks and when they answer ‘we consolidate,’ we have said that Emirates SkyCargo offers consolidations and also a completely unique service with multiple daily frequencies from any of the aforementioned 41 gateways in Europe.
     “Also Emirates operates only widebodied aircrafts, and that means your built-up loaded pallets will ride intact without need and risk of being rebuilt at some point along the way.”

But Does It really Work?

     “The bottom line proof of all of this is that our Dubai hub is working with a rating of 98% efficiency,” Jeffrey Van Haeften insists.
     “Everyone knows that 2016 was a tough year.
     “But we also can see that by being creative and developing our abilities we can bring in new business.
     “The key to all of this is communicating with the customers: not just taking orders but also finding out what are their expectations are and how we can best fit the needs of our shippers.
     “That approach can also mean we make changes and are completely open to suggestion for Emirates SkyCargo to make sure it is win-win situation all around, every time.
     It’s about career with Jeffrey, but it is also about family.
     “Most of us understand that when opportunity knocks you just need to go for it,” Jeffrey said.
     “When Emirates called and Nabil said that he wanted me for the job, I felt compelled to accept but not before the approval from my family. My wife Saskia was elated with the idea of living in Dubai and with the fact that my new posting would be life altering for both of us and our two children in many ways.
     “I take very seriously looking at life both personally and in business as a holistic endeavor.
     “We have two young children Julian and Fiene so we thought this out all around.
     “Asking them and having their agreement has made it a very smooth transition. There has been some realigning and change to get used to for certain, but we are together and happy about our new life and frankly enjoying everything our new home has to offer.
     “I might mention that my philosophy of life comes with great credit from my Dad, a florist who operated a small floral shop in the Netherlands.
     “He worked all the time –our business was always more than a nine to five operation
     “I used to help him after school and learned some important lessons, including not to fear mistakes but rather learn from them, and to also share the wealth gained from lessons learned.”
     Interestingly Jeffrey is an accomplished kickboxer, a disciplined sport that puts and keeps participants in shape.
     The idea that Jeffrey is into life with both hands and feet does not seem all that implausible after a few minutes of conversing with him.
     His delivery is rapid fire and very uplifting. The fact that he could probably take someone out cold with one swipe of his left foot is just another indication that this most interesting and multi-layered executive has it all going on at once.

Looking Ahead

     “Emirates has unique resources, including a fabulous culture for air cargo, offering the right equipment, routes and frequencies that shippers can leverage worldwide.
     “What is maybe most important is that imagination has plenty of room at this air cargo airline and with the ability to invest in the future, we are ready for tomorrow,” Jeffrey Van Haeften said.
Geoffrey/Flossie