Here are two people to watch at CNS Partnership Conference this week in Miami.
     Brandon Fried, Executive Director of Airforwarders Association (AfA) is the constant forwarder at every major air cargo event and at many lesser events as well being held anywhere in the world during 2023. He will appear first out of the gate when trade shows begin again next year with his AfA Air Cargo 2024 event that will be conducted in Louisville, Kentucky February 18-19, 2024.
     Brandon has added his voice and considerable reputation with great care to include not only open discussions with heavy hitters in cargo, but he also pops up in cameo appearances at many local clubs in places like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and elsewhere out on the hustings.
     He is less attached to social events, golf tourneys and the like but he appears like your trusty uncle, so that wherever organized cargo has a cause or might need some help here comes Brandon.
     In many ways Brandon is everyman’s voice amongst us and in a world of specialists and self-generated big thinkers he has built the Airforwarders Association from mostly a lobbying group based in Washington into “the association for everybody else”.
     Brandon is always there, always ready to listen and, fair to say, has done or at least attempted to support logistics people all over the world longer than anybody else we can think of in our half century of covering this global air cargo beat.
     “He is such a natural guy,
     “The way he has kept it up could make you cry!”
     Little wonder that CNS about to kick off in Miami looks at first take like an alternative 2.0 version program to the aforementioned AfA Air Cargo Conference held earlier this year, which was such a roaring success that it literally blew the doors off the venue in Nashville.
     And just to make sure the point is underscored, Brandon also serves as a CNS Board member.
     In 2021 Brandon spoke on stage to IATA Secretary General Willie Walsh that brought some plain speaking to the IATA presentation at CNS.
     This year his role at CNS is expanded. Brandon will be the opening address speaker.
     We thought to include some quick Q&A of what to expect and also some up to the minute post COVID observations with Brandon here and, as usual, he did not disappoint.

FT:  CNS 2023 program Looks to me like a 2.0 version of AfA Air Cargo Nashville earlier this year. Your thoughts?
BF:  The Airforwarders Association is honored to have been invited by CNS to serve as the master of ceremonies for its upcoming Partnership Conference in Miami next week. Many of the forwarders, airlines, and others in attendance are our members, so the event provides an excellent opportunity to join CNS in discussing critical industry issues and opportunities our community faces daily. In addition, the networking is excellent, providing a chance to rekindle old business relationships and meet new friends who benefit from AfA's aggressive legislative and regulatory agenda in Washington.

FT:  As a member of the Advisory Board at CNS what is CNS 2023? What is the main focus?
BF:  We are also privileged to play a role on the CNS Advisory Board, where CNS and IATA representatives provide an opportunity for us to review and voice the forwarder's perspective about the CNS/IATA agenda. Primary focus areas usually feature CNS/IATA digitalization initiatives, dangerous goods training, sustainability platforms, industry education, the CNS Cargo Accounting Settlement System (CASS) developments, and crucial security-related information from IATA airline members. Of course, we may not always agree on all issues, but sharing our ideas and candid suggestions is essential for the stakeholders involved.

FT:  What is the value of the IATA CNS Partnership conference in 2023?
BF:  Learning, networking, and idea sharing. If you leave with one new idea or business relationship, it's worth the price of admission.

FT:  What role will CNS play going forward?
BF:  CNS continues to represent the cargo interests of many international airlines operating in the United States. In addition to providing its invoicing platform, certification, and a pathway to IATA's instructional offerings, the organization plans to continue its role as a thought leader in sustainability, automation, and education. The Airforwarders Association shares these interests and looks forward to engaging CNS and IATA on other crucial issues, including regulatory harmonization, air cargo security and airport cargo area throughput.

FT:  How important is cargo to IATA that they have named a Head of Cargo for North & South America, now in place for a year in what at onset at least seems to be handled as a low visibility post?
BF:  As the United States focuses more of its trade policy on de-emphasizing manufacturing from China, other countries, including those in North and South America, stand to benefit. The production shift will likely be gradual, but increased manufacturing in these regions will produce more air cargo in the long run. The Airforwarders Association sees this change coming and trusts that IATA shares the same perspective.”

     Speaking of AfA, Jenni Frigger Vice President of Sales & Marketing at EMO Trans is up on stage at CNS Miami as she continues to contribute her thoughts and ideas toward advancing sustainability.
     We recall Jenni’s father, Joachim Frigger in a similar role with Jo on stage at CNS Partnership advancing the role of freight forwarders in the airline forwarder relationship during the startup and formative years of CNS more than three decades ago.
     These two people, Fried and Frigger, active and advancing the form also have served organized logistics longer than anyone might have expected was possible, people to people, father to daughter, with passion and caring to better the logistics experience all around.

Register for CNS Partnership Conference click here.