CargoForwarder Global’s ‘Spotlight On…’ illustrates the wide variety of career opportunities in the air cargo industry, by talking to a different individual each week. With growing volumes of pharmaceuticals being carried across the world, the need for intelligent temperature-sensitive solutions is also increasing. Ever-developing technology, too, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), is enabling many new process opportunities and even greater control of shipment integrity en route. One such specialized ULD and service provider is SkyCell. This week, Abedin Dula, Business Development Lead at SkyCell, takes us through his responsibilities, advice, and thoughts on the air cargo industry.
CFG: What is your current function and company? And what are your responsibilities?
AD: I head the commercial offering for the airline segment as a business development lead at SkyCell AG. SkyCell is a Swiss company specialized in three main areas: temperature-controlled pharma containers, pharma shipment monitoring and ULD tracking using IoT. I focus on the third area, helping airlines transform, digitalize and optimize their ULD operations. My responsibilities include developing the commercial strategy for this vertical, leading airline partnerships globally, and ensuring our IoT solution delivers real value by closely aligning it with our customers’ needs. It’s about transforming ULDs from static assets into smart assets, enabling enhanced visibility, automation and data-driven decision-making.
CFG: What does a normal day look like for you?
AD: There’s rarely a ‘normal’ day and that’s exactly what keeps it engaging. Most of my time is spent with (potential) customers, trying to truly understand their operations. That might mean formal meetings but often it also involves being on-site, in cargo warehouses or baggage halls, to observe firsthand where inefficiencies or bottlenecks occur. We speak with all levels of the organization, from operational teams to executive decision-makers, to get a full picture of the business. Then there’s also the cultural aspect. We work with airlines around the world, each with their own approach, pace, and internal dynamics, so adapting to different ways of thinking is a big part of the job. Internally, I collaborate with product, delivery and R&D to make sure our IoT solutions address the real issues we see in the field and continuously innovate. It’s fast-paced, international, and highly dynamic and that’s exactly what I enjoy about it.
CFG: How long have you been in the air cargo industry, and what brought you to it?
AD: My career originally started with an interest in the passenger side of aviation. I studied aeronautical engineering and later completed a master’s in air transport management with the goal of building a career in commercial aviation. Like many others, the pandemic disrupted those plans and I ended up in air cargo almost by accident. At the time, I simply wanted to stay in aviation in any form possible. Now, five years later, I’m still in air cargo and genuinely passionate about it. What started as a contingency became a long-term focus as I began to see the complexity and global impact air cargo has. It’s an industry where you can make a real difference, especially through innovation and operational change as we tend to be behind as an industry.
CFG: What do you enjoy most about your job?
AD: What I enjoy most about air cargo is that, despite all the digital transformation in the industry, it still remains a people business. Building relationships and understanding different perspectives across functions and cultures is still at the core of what we do. Secondly, I genuinely enjoy connecting the dots across business, technology and operations. Being able to translate challenges into practical solutions and deliver real value for airlines is what makes the work meaningful for me. It’s not just about selling technology but about solving actual problems that create real impact.
CFG: What do you see as the greatest challenges in our industry?
AD: One of the greatest challenges we face is attracting and retaining skilled and talented people. There are many ideas floating around as to why we’re falling short as an industry and I’ve also had the chance to meet some true visionaries who are approaching this the right way and are making a change. But what we still lack is a consistent, industry-wide approach to talent development and engagement. At the same time, we’re trying to close that talent gap through efficiency and digitalization but often end up taking a step backwards. Too often we see companies choose technology first and only afterwards try to define the problem they’re solving. Then there is also resistance to change at the organizational level which is not managed collectively. Many freight players still haven’t structured themselves in a way that supports digital thinking across the business. In my role, I try to remind them of this and that there is a better way of doing things.
CFG: What advice would you give to people looking to enter into the air cargo industry? Any particular training they should aim for?
AD: As I said earlier, air cargo is a people business, so start out by being curious and asking lots of questions to anyone in the industry and see what sparks your interest. Most of us are an open book and love talking cargo for hours! When it comes to training, my advice is to get your hands dirty. Understand what people actually do on the ground, in the warehouses and on the tow-trucks. Maybe even aim to do it yourself for a short while. That will be the best training and experience you’ll get and it will shape how you think and lead, later in your career, especially in air cargo.
CFG: If the air cargo industry were a film/book, what would its title be?
AD: Cargo Reloaded: The race to digitalize the invisible engine of the world
Many thanks, Abedin!
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.
