Member of the Executive Board
Chief Financial Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer, Labour Director

Frank Bauer, born in 1981, studied industrial engineering at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern. He began his career at Lufthansa as a trainee in 2007 and became a consultant to the Chairman of the Executive Board at Lufthansa Cargo AG in Frankfurt in 2008. In 2010, he moved to the cargo airline Jade Cargo in China.

In 2012, he returned to Deutsche Lufthansa AG and took on numerous management positions in the years that followed. For example, he headed the Lufthansa Group’s Internal Audit department. Subsequently, as a member of the Executive Board of Eurowings, he was responsible for Finance and Human Resources.

Most recently, he headed Controlling and Risk Management at the Lufthansa Group.

Effective August 1, 2023, the Supervisory Board of Lufthansa Cargo AG has appointed Frank Bauer as Chief Financial Officer and Labor Director of Lufthansa Cargo AG. His areas of responsibility include Human Resources, Finance & Controlling, Legal, Corporate & Political Affairs, Information Management and Supply Management & Infrastructure.

David Bellon has been active in the air cargo industry in Belgium for almost 28 years holding various management positions within large forwarding companies. He is currently Head of Airfreight for DHL Global Forwarding. During his career he has been board member and chairman of the various industry organizations active around Brussels Airport. He just concluded a term as chairman for Air Cargo Belgium, a position he held for 2 ½ years.

Jo started his digital career somewhere in 1994 when he created the first digital agency in Belgium. Now almost 30 years later he can look back on a rich history as a digital entrepreneur..
Jo is a transformation strategist. The good thing is that this profession doesn’t really exist, so he doesn’t have to live up to specific standards or conventions.
He is passionated about change and how digital and societal disruptions are impacting everything around us. For over a decade his company Scopernia has been helping all kinds of organisations, from Denmark to Dubai with the big question: how is the core of your business changing?
In his latest book, The World Is Round, Jo describes the big technological and societal challenges that the world is facing. He describes scenarios for the future of which many already became a reality because of the Corona crisis, the climate disasters and the new geopolitical reality we are currently living in.
One of Jo’s real passions is to talk to people, bringing the message of change and optimism across. He has been on hundreds of stages, in about every European country and beyond.
In the last decade Jo (co-)wrote five books on different transformational topics, from dealing with social media, the future of the media industry, digital transformation and now his latest book The World Is Round, about the transformation of society and how to plan for that.

My name is Nicolas Collart and I am a leading International Trade and overall Indirect Tax professional. After starting my career in a BIG 4 Consultancy firm in Belgium, I worked in the industry managing global Customs & Excise compliance matters in large goods owners in Switzerland. In my current job, I am the risk officer at Customs Support (the biggest independent customs broker in Europe) where I am also part of the group management team. Apart from looking after the risks and findings ways to mitigate those risks, my team and I drive the organization in integrating new acquired companies and ensuring that those adhere to the group (risk) standards. Finally, I am also responsible to push the group in managing and improving its sustainability footprint.

Technical Officer
World Customs Organization (WCO), Brussels, Belgium

Phuntsho has been with the WCO since early 2019, and he has been working for the Customs fraternity for over 22 years. At the WCO, he is currently the lead officer overseeing one of the important international legal instruments of the WCO, commonly referred to as the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC). The RKC is an international convention on the simplification and harmonization of customs procedures that serves as the blueprint for modern and efficient customs procedures. In addition, he also oversees the WCO Time Release Study (TRS), which is a strategic and internationally recognized tool to measure the actual time required for the release and/or clearance of goods. Phuntsho holds a master’s degree in international customs law and administration from the University of Canberra, Australia, as the recipient of the Australian Leadership Award. He also holds a post-graduate diploma in financial management and leadership.

– Mozambican logistics professional with more than 25 year’s experience in Logistics, Shipping and Freight Forwarding.
– Founder and owner of a private Freight forwarding company since 2016 – Decom Limitada
– FCFASA Executive Member since founding in 2008
– FCFASA President since April 2020
– ASANTROP Association of Mozambique National Freight Forwarders since 2003

About Me
I moved away from my initial specialisation of Information Technology, despite having graduated from Malawi University with a degree in Computer Programming and decided to enter the world of logistics, starting at AP Moller’s Maersk Line (Mozambique) in 1997 as Commercial Manager and after 5 years joined the United nations World Food Programme as a Data Analyst/Logistics Assistant for 2 years before starting at SDV AMI (Now Bollore), the genesis of my career in International Freight Forwarding and Logistics. After working in several companies, I decided to open my own business in 2016 and enjoy the challenge of managing transit and project cargoes in the infrastructurally challenged environment of the region and I marvel at what we are able to achieve.

Key Learnings
My time at the WFP gave/led me to understand the importance of controlling product with nothing but absolute discipline as well as the importance of in-depth analysis of routing in the downstream distribution chain especially in challenging areas where access is difficult. My time at SDV AMI was seminal and I thrived on the management of commoditised across the value chain and how, as a Freight Forwarder, we really were the ‘Architect’s of transport’, as we guided the commodities from source to final markets, through warehouses and out,etc. This was a satisfying entry true freight management and I enjoyed my 5 years there, from 2005. After SDV AMI, I worked for and opened up four of the FH Bertling offices in Mozambique. My time at Vale Mozambique in the role of Master Logistics Analyst from 2011, exposed me to mining commodities and taught me the importance of being able to work accurately with numbers and of the significance of safety in the work place – at all times – and this lives in me today. My two year engagement at Enviroserv Waste management from 2014 as National Operations Manager exposed me to the fascinating and ever more relevant industry of waste management and recycling. After this broad diversity of work experience I decided it was time to do something for myself and I opened / founded DECOM LIMITADA in 2016 as the major partner and Managing Director – 7 years and counting! Our core activity is Transit Logistics, be it in containers, Bulk or Break Bulk whether in solid or Liquid form. We also handled project and abnormal cargoes and use Beira as our primary gateway, despite road and infrastructure challenges. Regional Role. Been actively involved with FCFASA (Federation of Clearing and Forwarding Associations of Southern Africa now rebranding to Federation of Clearing and Forwarding Associations of Sovereign Africa (2023)) since its’s formation in 2006, launched in 2010 at ExCom level and Presidential level as from 2020 to 2024. In FCFASA, we got to understand the importance of regional integration and the role it plays in trade facilitation linked to interconnectivity, harmonisation, digitization, digitalization and mutual recognition both at national and regional level. As FCFASA, we were in a stronger position to better advocate, lobby and recommend regional trade facilitation policies which could be streamlined, aligned and harmonised both at regional and national level. Interests In terms of my leisure time, I like casual dancing, diversified music and movies. I also do enjoy some sports although I have not had the chance to practice them in the last couple of years, badminton, squash and horse riding.

PhD in Business Administration, HEC – University of Geneva, Switzerland

Dr Stéphane Graber has been Director General at FIATA International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations since 2020. FIATA is the largest non-governmental organisation in the field of logistics. It is made up of 109 Association members representing 40,000 freight forwarding and logistics firms around the globe, employing some 10 million people.

He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the ICC DSI (the International Chamber of Commerce’s Digital Standard Initiative) and a founding member of the Future International Trade (FIT Alliance) which aims to raise awareness and accelerate the adoption of a standards-based electronic bills of lading (eBL) across all sectors of the shipping industry. He also participates in Cargo IQ Board, an IATA interest group whose mission is to create and implement quality standards for the global air cargo industry.

Prior to joining FIATA, Dr Graber was Secretary General at STSA (Swiss Commodity Trading and Shipping Association) and led the eGTSA as Chairman and Director General, a company that successfully developed a digital platform used by commodity trading companies and commodity trade-finance banks, which was sold to Komgo in 2019 and known today as Console. Alongside his professional activities, Dr Graber also taught for 20 years at the Universities of Geneva and Lausanne on various Executive MBA programmes and was the Academic Director of the EMBA in Commodity Trading and Shipping.

Dr Graber previously worked for the Economic Department of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, and was President of the Geneva Chapter of the Swiss-Chinese Chamber of Commerce (SCCC) and a member of the SCCC’s national council.

Trade Facilitation, UNCTAD

Poul Hansen is responsible for the Trade Facilitation portfolio at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Poul has extensive experience in the area of trade and transport facilitation, having worked for more than 20 years in the UN system on issues such as international trade, transportation, transit, development, international standards, previously working at the UNECE as Secretary for the TIR and International Harmonization Conventions etc.   Prior to joining the UN, Poul worked for more than 10 years in the private sector in public affairs, management consulting and logistics, including with Ernst & Young. Poul has studied both master and bachelor levels in Business Administration and International Law from the Aarhus University and Copenhagen Business School, Denmark. Poul is a certified freight forwarding agent.

James Hookham MSc BTech (Hons)

James Hookham is the Secretary General and a Director of the Global Shippers Forum, the voice of cargo owners in international supply chains. He is a graduate in Environmental Science from the University of Bradford and completed a Masters degree in the safe transport of dangerous goods at the University of Manchester. Until 2020 James was Deputy Chief Executive of the Freight Transport Association (now Logistics UK) and has held numerous positions on UK, EU and global transport and logistics advisory bodies.

Carole Lamarque is passionate about strategic marketing, launching innovations and new technologies. Her love for innovation originates from the extremely competitive companies she has worked for in the energy and media sectors. Her deep knowledge of disruptive innovation comes from the ICT sector.

Digital media is central to her integrated marketing plan. Carole can easily devise 360° market strategies that effectively reinforce revenue goals and create brand images based on authentic customer-centric thinking. She is a proud bestselling author at Lannoo Campus: Influencers (2017), Unfair Advantage (2018) and Zoonotic (2021). But she is most proud of her involvement as a member of the Board of Directors of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and of the Antwerp-Waasland Chamber of Commerce (VOKA).

As CEO and founding partner at DUVAL UNION Innovative Marketing, she helps clients with their long-term marketing transformation and also provides them with all the necessary strategic advice so that they are fully in tune with digital strategy and can tackle day-to-day marketing challenges.

Anne Masson is a passionate team player who combines years of experience in risk management and technology to put Eye Security on the map in Belgium, thus protecting our Belgian companies from cybercrime. To achieve this goal, she is building a close team that values creativity and loyalty. Her position within Eye Security makes her a role model for women in Tech.

Tia Meyvis is the Corporate Director of IT & Innovation at Ahlers. She holds a Master’s degree in Applied Economics and Maritime Sciences from the University of Antwerp. In 2015 she obtained a postgraduate Cross-functional Customs Management at KDG/Portilog.

Tia Meyvis has extensive experience with logistics engineering and optimization projects. Since 2011 she has been working as a logistics engineer at Bolloré logistics and as a senior consultant at PwC, where she supported different customers with the optimization of their logistics model. In 2017, she became part of the data analytics team within Ahlers.

Since 2014 Tia is an active member and from 2019 till 2023 she was the Chairman of Young FORWARD Belgium.

Global Lead – Sustainable Value Chains, ING Bank N.V.
Chair, ICC Banking Commission

With 30 years of banking experience, Lynn is a trade, and commodity financing specialist. For the last 5 years, she was the Global Head of ING’s Commodities, Food & Agri sector, which is responsible for the coverage of corporates active in the commodities value chain, i.e. the producers, processors of Metals, Minerals, Food & Agri, and including the traders of all commodities (Energy, Metals, Minerals and Agri). Through the active collaboration with product partners in ING’s global network whilst leveraging on the teams’ deep sector knowledge of commodities, ING is consistently recognized as a leader, and a committed partner in the area of commodity financing. In response to the client’s growing need for cross-sectoral expertise as they embark on their transitionary journeys towards sustainability, ING established a new cross-sectoral coverage unit, Sustainable Value Chains. Since 1 June, Lynn has been entrusted with leading this new unit as the Global Lead. A firm believer that the trade is a critical enabler of the economy, and that there is still much more that can be done with the right values and the right tools, Lynn is actively contributing as the current chair of the Banking Commission in the International Chamber of Commerce.

Theo Notteboom is Professor of port and maritime economics. He is Chair Professor ‘North Sea Port’ at Maritime Institute of Ghent University, and a professor at the Faculty of Business and Economics of the University of Antwerp and Antwerp Maritime Academy, Belgium. He previously held positions as Professor and Foreign Expert at Dalian Maritime University and Shanghai Maritime University, China, and as MPA Visiting Professor at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. He is Vice-President (2022-ongoing) and past President (2010–2014) of International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME). He is Co-founder and Co-director of Porteconomics.eu and Member of the Risk and Resilience Committee of International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH). He is Associate Editor of Maritime Economics & Logistics and a member of the editorial boards of eight other leading academic journals in the field. He published over 160 papers in first-tier academic journals and another 400 publications in the form of reports and contributions to books, proceedings, and specialized press. He is Editor/Author of a dozen academic books, including the handbook Port Economics, Management and Policy (Notteboom, Pallis & Rodrigue, 2022; Routledge). He is one of the most cited maritime economists in the world. Theo Notteboom has been involved as promoter or co-promoter in more than 100 academic research programs on the port and maritime industry and logistics topics.

Geoffrey Powell is currently President of C.H. Powell Company, a 4th generation family business that was established in 1919 by his grandparents in Boston, Massachusetts. C.H. Powell Company is an International Logistics Provider, Freight Forwarder and Customs Broker with offices located throughout the United States which also has ownership in Tandem Global Logistics, a global logistics company. Mr. Powell has also been actively engaged with the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA), an association that has represented forwarders and customs brokers since 1897, and served as its President from April 2014 until May 2018, and currently serves as a Senior Counselor and Chair of the Transportation Committee. In January 2007, Mr. Powell was appointed to Customs and Border Protection’s advisory Committee (COAC) and served for two terms.

In August, 2013, Mr. Powell was appointed to the President’s Export Council, Subcommittee on Export Administration (PECSEA), an advisory committee to the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security.

Werner Rens is Advisor-general at the General Administration of Customs and Excises in Belgium. Between 2015 and 2017 he was in charge of the Department Customer Management which was competent for all kind of authorizations including AEO.

In 2017, together with a structural reorganization of the General Administration, he became in charge of the new department Marketing which is competent for Marketing, Communication and Economic Support.

Until 2015 he has served for over 15 years at the customs procedures department of the regional direction of Antwerp. Before he joined the public service he has worked for more than 5 years in a logistics company as senior account manager.

He is also convenor of the working-group Communication & Marketing of the National Forum which is in Belgium the official consultative body between Customs and Trade.

Catrien Scheers is chairman of Fast Group (www.fast-lines.com) and has over 25 years of experience in the breakbulk sector. After getting her master’s degree, Communication and Media Studies at KU Leuven she began working at the family transport business Fast Lines Belgium. Since she is chairman Fast invested in coaster vessels and in Fast Terminals in the Port of Szczecin, Poland

Her motto: Assets are important but people make the difference!

Andrea Dorothea Schoen holds a Diploma in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Political Science. As Program Director at Smart Freight Centre she is driving the Clean Air Transport (CAT) and maritime Clean Cargo (CC) programs and supports the roll-out of the GLEC Framework v.3 accounting guidelines compliant to ISO 14083. She headed the climate protection program at DB Schenker for 15 years. In this capacity, she acted as project partner and Advisory Body member in various EU projects on the green transformation of the transport sector. She was active in CCWG (Clean Cargo Working Group), SAFA (Sustainable Air Freight Alliance), GLEC (Global Logistics Emissions Council), DIN, CEN and ISO standardization bodies. In her daily work Andrea Schoen has been working closely with carriers and shippers to support them in their climate emission reduction targets and measures.

Joost Sitskoorn is a director at the Dutch Shippers’ Council evofenedex. He works with European Shippers’ Council ESC and the Global Shippers’ Alliance GSA on ways to facilitate international fair and transparent trade and logistics.

Daniella Smal is a distinguished logistics professional with a remarkable 16-year career dedicated to specialized services in Customs Clearing and Freight Forwarding.

As the Managing Director of Pro-Africa Logistics Zambia Limited, a leading clearing and freight forwarding company based in Lusaka, Daniella has firmly established herself as a driving force in the Customs Clearing and Freight Forwarding industry, celebrated for her unwavering commitment to excellence.

In addition to her role as Managing Director, Daniella Smal serves as the Secretary of the Zambia Customs and Forwarding Agents Association. In this influential position, she actively contributes to shaping industry standards and fostering collaboration among industry professionals, demonstrating her dedication to the growth and development of the Customs Clearing and Freight Forwarding sector.

Daniella’s commitment to professional growth and excellence is underscored by her academic achievements. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Marketing and Communications, an Honours Degree in Business Management, and a Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA), in addition to several Advanced Certificates in Customs Clearing and Freight Forwarding, Incoterms, Dangerous Goods, and Situational Leadership, a testament to her dedication to expanding her knowledge.

In 2015, Daniella achieved global recognition by winning the prestigious YIFFYA (Young International Freight Forwarder of the Year Award) Global Winner accolade.

With a unique blend of leadership, education, and industry recognition, Daniella Smal continues to inspire and excel in the Customs Clearing and Freight Forwarding industry. Her extensive experience, meticulous attention to detail, and profound knowledge of customs clearing and freight forwarding have consistently delivered streamlined and efficient customs and logistics solutions for clients across diverse industries in Zambia.

Mr Van den bosch is Deputy Director freight at UIC with master degrees in econometrics, purchasing and supply chain management. He has over 25 years of experience in supply chain matters.

In the past he held managerial supply chain and operations positions at PepsiCo/Frito and Novartis Consumer Health. Later on he developed his private consulting boutique where he advised a number of SMEs and leading multinationals in their supply chain and logistics challenges.

For the last 5 years, at UIC, he focusses on international logistics topics and the way UIC supports international corridor development by close collaboration with sister organisations like UN Economic Committees in Europe and Asia Pacific. Beside this he leads the combined transport and quality special groups.

From time to time he comments and publishes on logistics and mobility issues at stake.

Mr. Kristian Vanderwaeren has been the head of the Belgian General Administration of Customs and Excise within the Ministry of Finance since January 2015. Since the beginning of his mandate, Mr. Kristian Vanderwaeren has made E-commerce ,“war against drugs”, new operational technologies and trade facilitation priorities. He also created the stakeholder platform, through which customs and trade have joined forces to set up a working group to develop a uniform solution for Belgium for handling all e-commerce shipments. Mr. Vanderwaeren also led the reform of Belgian General law on Customs & Excise and the successful implementation of UCC & MASP roll out, as well as in European ICT development, while signing of several customs MOU protocols. His achievements cover also the reorganization of administration and export control, as well as the Brexit preparedness organization. Prior to joining the General Administration of Customs and Excises, M. Vanderwaeren has acquired more than 20 years of experience in management and taxation as Director and Partner Taxes and Legal. He started his career at the Chamber of Commerce, later as a tax director at EY. He joined Wolters Kluwer Belgium as business director of the Tax and Accounting Unit offering software, content and training products to customers, then switched to the accounting firm Moore Stephen. Mr. Vanderwaeren has been lecturer of tax and customs matters at the Brussels Tax College for 21 years now and he is author of several books and articles on indirect taxation.

Head, Supply Chain, Logistics and Transport Industries

Margi leads the Supply Chain and Transport initiatives at the World Economic Forum. Margi is a member of the Global Industries team, overseeing Aviation, Travel & Tourism; Supply Chain & Transport; Manufacturing and Automotive Industries.

The Forum Global Industries collaborate for a better future, enabled by resilient and sustainable industry ecosystems, where innovation unlocks new value creation, drives inclusive growth, and enhances the well-being of people.

The Supply Chain, Logistics and Transportation industry portfolio contributes to development of multiple cross-sectoral initiative communities. Collaboration across industry value chains centre on accelerating systemic digital and energy transformation through harnessing shared data, technology, and renewable zero-emission energy initiatives. The ambition is development of sustainable, resilient transport and supply ecosystems. Leveraging collective action, engaging demand- and supply-side leaders in concert with the public sector, academic, philanthropic, and civil sector organisations, investment and scaling of innovative initiatives are conceptualised for impactful, inclusive `common good` outcomes.

Prior to joining the World Economic Forum, Margi served in multiple service arenas – express transport, supply chain, shipping, retail and healthcare sectors. Margi has worked in Europe, Africa, Asia and in the United States, serving both private and public-sector clients, and holds an MBA in International Business from the Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland.

From the very start of his career, Bram has been involved in the, then budding, AI revolution, obtaining a Ph.D. in Science, with a specialization towards Machine Learning and AI, as early as 2006.

After his academic career, Bram shifted his focus towards helping organizations enhance their operational efficiency, by facilitating strategic digitally-driven transformations. In 2012, Bram established the first data science team within AE, a Belgian consulting firm, crafting AI solutions for its customers.

Since 2021, Bram takes up the role of Chief Product Maite at Customaite, steering the innovative AI-driven solution into the future. Essentially a SaaS solution, Customaite’s vision of “Human-Assisted AI” streamlines the customs declaration process and is now used by major customs and logistics players throughout Europe, to automate and optimize their customs declarations. Customs declarants can rely on a digital AI assistant that supports them in their daily work by ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and compliance in the complex world of customs declarations.

Erwin Verstraelen is the Chief Digital and innovation officer of the Port of Antwerp and member of the senior management team. He has a strong background in business transformation driven by Information technology. His team drives the valorization of new and existing IT capabilities to transform the port in an open innovation hub, a catalyst towards a smart port.

Mike is Managing Director of Loss Prevention at TT Club. Mike joined TT Club in October 2010, previously working in operational management roles within the logistics industry. Amongst other responsibilities Mike was a dangerous goods safety advisor. 

Mike is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Logistics and Transport, a Specialist member of the Institute of Risk Management and a Member of the Chartered Insurance Institute. Mike has active involvement with a number of industry organisations including BIFA, FIATA, ICHCA, IAPH and ITCO.