Spotlight on… Markus Flacke, Global Business Development, Lufthansa Industry Solutions

CargoForwarder Global’s ‘Spotlight On…’ series brings a different area of the air cargo industry to the fore every week. When you are in the midst of the air freight supply chain, concentrating on getting shipments from one end of the world to the other, it can help to have outsiders illustrate the bigger picture and offer solutions for even more efficient and economical operations. That is where consulting comes in: experts with an overall industry view, who can help steer companies towards a more digitally fit and commercially sustainable future. This week, Markus Flacke, Global Business Development, Lufthansa Industry Solutions, takes us through his role and shares his experience and advice for anyone looking to forge a career in the air cargo industry.

Always at the heartbeat of international trade. Image: Markus Flacke

CFG: What is your current function and company? And what are your responsibilities?
MF: I am currently working for Lufthansa Industry Solutions, the IT consultancy of the Lufthansa Group. Although we are part of an aviation group, we work with clients across various industries, e.g. automotive, ocean shipping. My role is to develop the business with international air cargo clients.

CFG: What does a normal day look like for you?
MF: One is tempted to say there are no normal days – but consulting is a structured activity. I tend to start with the daily media update, checking for technology trends, discussing solutions for clients with the consultancy team and, of course, assessing how technology will impact the air cargo ecosystem.

CFG: How long have you been in the air cargo industry, and what brought you to it?
MF: I have been in the industry for 23 years and, like so many, I came to it by coincidence. I am a political scientist by training and was looking for a job in an international environment after graduation. Applied to one of Lufthansa’s graduation programs and was accepted. The rest is history!

CFG: What do you enjoy most about your job?
MF: The diversity of it all and that one is always at the heartbeat of international trade. I think, for a lot of people, globalization is just a word – in air cargo, you see it happen every day and the positive impact it can have on many people’s lives.

CFG: What do you see as the greatest challenges in our industry?
MF: Walk the talk! I have been at plenty of industry conferences over the years and I am often intrigued that topics like digitalization are discussed as if there were alternatives to it. It is high time that every stakeholder has at least an executable digital road map established – one that isn‘t questioned every other year because the industry is going through another down cycle. We operate in a cyclical business environment; however, digitalization will only have an impact when it is seen as a business accelerator and not a cost position.

CFG: What advice would you give to people looking to get into the air cargo industry? Any particular training they should aim for?
MF: Be curious and bring common sense to the job. I have met people with so many different educational backgrounds that it is hard to specify a particular training, but what they all have in common is curiosity and a willingness to put the team above everything else.

CFG: If the air cargo industry were a film/book, what would its title be?
MF: It has to be ‘Groundhog Day’ – many conferences’ digital cargo streams feel like it – the same discussion over and over again – but I am certain there will be a happy ending!

Many thanks for your answers, Markus.


If you would like to share your personal air cargo story with our CargoForwarder Global readers, feel free to send your answers to the above questions to cargoforwarderglobal@kopfpilot.at We look forward to shining a spotlight on your job area, views, and experiences.

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