Ex-Emirates’ cargo VP joins QR Cargo as SVP sales, network planning

September 29, 2020: Qatar Airways Cargo has appointed Kirsten de Bruijn as senior vice president, cargo sales and network planning. 

Prior to this, de Bruijn worked as the vice president cargo – pricing and interline with Emirates. She has been responsible for developing strategic pricing policies and market initiatives for Emirates SkyCargo products, services and interline to maximise point of sale performance and optimise revenue across the network. 

With 13 years of experience in management in the air cargo industry, she had been associated with Air France KLM Martinair Cargo.

According to de Bruijn, “Air cargo is probably one of the most competitive industries out there. It means you have to find ways to avoid being commoditized and you have to think globally – to constantly be aware of the speed with which technology is changing how we do business. Qatar Airways Cargo represents the cutting edge of change in the global air cargo market. I want to be a part of that movement. Part of my role is to build a sense of team spirit and collective purpose. I like to hire people that are better at what they do than I am, so I can create the best team possible.”

With her on board, Qatar Airways Cargo is well positioned to capitalise on its ambitious growth strategy as it strives to expand its leadership in the global airfreight market.

“The Covid-19 crisis has accelerated the need for flexibility and agility. It has also fast-tracked demand for digitalisation. Optimising the utilisation of freighters, the network, pricing and processes will mean embracing digital as the central vector of change. Qatar Airways is a world leader in this space and our ability to constantly adapt and adjust will continue to be part of the fundamental premise of our air cargo strategy,” said Guillaume Halleux, chief officer cargo at Qatar Airways.

According to Halleux, Kirsten was the obvious choice, he noted, “We share the same vision of the industry and Kirsten perfectly understands the sector’s demands – as well as its volatility and its extremely competitive nature. She is able to challenge existing processes thanks to her customer-focused vision and extremely high standards. She is a major asset to the airline.”