Every week, CargoForwarder Global’s ‘Spotlight On…’ gives the stage to a different individual to illustrate the huge variety of roles that make up the air cargo industry. Technology plays a crucial part in bringing efficiency, control and order to our fast-moving, time-defined industry. Belli is one of a number of advanced software solutions providers that focus on replacing outdated manual processes and spreadsheets with end-to-end digital systems that support booking, acceptance, flight planning, load build-up, real-time tracking, billing, and operational insights, for example. This week, Qiao Hui Foon (QF), Senior Product Engineer at Belli, talks about her responsibilities and shares her views and advice for anyone considering a career in the air cargo industry.
CFG: What is your current function and company? And what are your responsibilities?
QF: I’m a Senior Product Engineer at Belli, and we build next-generation cargo management software for airlines. The unique thing that we do here is that we have product engineers do the on-the-ground implementation. This means that airlines are always interfacing with someone who is both (a) experienced in managing a cargo operation at an airline; and (b) comes from a software engineering background. So, my role involves building the product and connecting with airline partners to make sure we’re solving real problems on ground.
CFG: What does a normal day look like for you?
QF: There’s rarely a ‘normal’ day. My day could start with a call with a customer on the other side of the world, then product discussions with my team, and end with a trip to the cargo terminal. The variety is what I love most – whether it’s working on the next big feature or refining workflows based on user feedback on the ground, every day is an exciting challenge.
CFG: How long have you been in the air cargo industry, and what brought you to it?
QF: I’ve been in air cargo since 2022, and what got me hooked, was the opportunity to solve big problems in an industry that isn’t fancy at all. An industry that moves trillions in goods but is still managed with spreadsheets – that contrast made it the perfect space to innovate and to make meaningful impact, and I’ve been excited about it ever since.
CFG: What do you enjoy most about your job?
QF: It’s the small wins. When a cargo agent gets a shipment booked quicker or an airline operations team get their build up done faster because of the software we built, that’s what makes it all worth it. I also love the people – air cargo people are down-to-earth and always open to new ways to improve their work.
CFG: Where do you see the greatest challenges in our industry?
QF: Adoption speed. Many airlines want digital transformation but are constrained by legacy systems, data silos, and fragmented regulations. The challenge isn’t building new tech – it’s implementation and data integration across global operations.
CFG: What advice would you give to people looking to get into the air cargo industry?
QF: Be curious about both logistics and technology. The best people in cargo today understand how freight moves and how data moves. Most things can be learnt on the job, as long as you have a problem-solving mindset.
CFG: If the air cargo industry were a film/book, what would its title be?
QF: ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’. Because in many ways, air cargo keeps the world moving, but not many people notice the cargo going into the bellies of the planes they’re flying on. Every shipment moved is part of a bigger story, all while hidden in plain sight.
Many thanks, Qiao Hui!
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.
