Each week, CargoForwarder Global shines its ‘Spotlight On…’ a specific field within the air cargo industry to show just how many different players are needed to make it a success. Communication plays a key role in showcasing the industry’s ongoing developments, challenges and innovation, promoting its function to the public, introducing new ideas, products or services, inaugurations, partnerships and other collaboration topics – whether this is in the shape of an industry publication such as Air Cargo Week, or a sustainability-focused communication agency that covers every media aspect for its customers from press releases through to website, conference booths and a whole lot more. Lemon Queen’s Founder and CEO, Audrey Serdjebi (AS), takes to the mic this week, to explain her function and share views and advice to anyone considering a career in air cargo.
CFG: What is your current function and company? And what are your responsibilities?
AS: I am Founder and CEO of Lemon Queen, a communication agency fully specialized in air cargo and aviation. Lemon Queen supports major industry players worldwide across strategic communication, PR, social media, branding, content and events.
I am also the owner of Air Cargo Week, which gives me an additional perspective on the topics, trends and conversations shaping the global air cargo industry, while the publication remains editorially independent.
Lemon Queen is B Corp certified, reflecting its commitment to responsible business practices, transparency and measurable social and environmental impact.
In practice, my role is to make sure our clients are heard, understood and remembered, and to keep Lemon Queen a place where people genuinely enjoy working together.
CFG: What does a normal day look like for you? Or is there such as thing?
AS: Honestly, no. My days are a juggling act between my two children, my work, frequent travel and a very strong commitment to my clients. Air cargo is my passion, which is why I created Lemon Queen and took on Air Cargo Week, but passion also means long days.
My anchor is the early morning. I wake up at 5 a.m., and I’m lucky enough to live by the sea. Walking alone with my dog while the world is still asleep is a small luxury. It’s followed by my morning routine, inspired by The Miracle Morning. Without it, the storms would blow me away. With it, I stay solid and keep my course.
Then the world wakes up and the day takes off. Like air cargo itself, it runs across time zones, with tight deadlines and last-minute changes, and there’s always something that has to arrive on time. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
What stays constant is the people. I spend a lot of time listening to clients, to my team and to the industry, because good communication always starts with understanding what people really need.
CFG: How long have you been in the air cargo industry, and what brought you to it?
AS: Fifteen years now, including eight as Chief Communication Officer at ECS Group before I created Lemon Queen in 2019. I didn’t simply ‘enter’ air cargo. I grew up in it, thanks to the trust of leaders like Bertrand Schmoll and Adrien Thominet, who taught me the business from the inside.
Over the years, I learned to speak cargo fluently. I know what a GSSA does, what keeps a handler up at night, why a capacity announcement matters and how to talk to a CEO as easily as to a terminal manager.
What struck me was that no communication agency really spoke this language or understood the codes of our industry. Companies had to explain their own business before anyone could help them tell their story. So, I built Lemon Queen to be the agency I wished had existed, with a team that knows cargo as well as it knows communication. That’s what sets us apart.
Later, becoming the owner of Air Cargo Week was a natural extension of that passion, a way to support independent journalism in our industry. Its editorial team runs it entirely on its own.
And what kept me here is the people. Air cargo people are straightforward, passionate and loyal. Once you’re in, you’re family. Air cargo isn’t just my market. It’s my playground.
CFG: What do you enjoy most about your job?
AS: Above all, the people behind the industry. I’m lucky to work alongside leaders and teams who keep innovating and transforming global logistics, often without the recognition they deserve.
I love helping companies turn complex operational realities into stories that are clear, relevant and engaging. And seeing our clients grow, innovate and gain recognition is one of the most rewarding parts of the job.
More broadly, I enjoy contributing to making air cargo better understood and better valued. I do that through Lemon Queen, and Air Cargo Week gives me a wider view of the conversations shaping our industry.
Finally, I’m proud that we push for more responsible communication through concrete projects like No Goodies and WeQare. We apply the same commitment within Lemon Queen itself, which is recognized by our B Corp certification.
CFG: Where do you see the greatest challenges in our industry?
AS: Five points:
- Perception: air cargo remains poorly understood outside the industry and is often reduced to its environmental impact rather than its essential role in healthcare, trade, e-commerce and crisis response.
- Complexity: airlines, airports, GSSAs, handlers, integrators and technology providers form a fragmented ecosystem that can be difficult to explain clearly.
- Talent: the sector needs to become more visible and attractive to the next generation.
- Transformation: digitalization, data and rapidly evolving customer expectations are changing the industry, and leaders need to explain clearly where their businesses are heading.
- Sustainability and credibility: sustainability claims are under growing scrutiny, which makes factual, coherent and evidence-based communication increasingly important.
The good news is that the industry has fantastic stories to tell. The challenge is to tell them together, more often, and with more confidence.
CFG: What advice would you give to people looking to get into the air cargo industry?
AS: Go and see it. Walk through a cargo terminal at night, watch a pallet being built, sit with a sales team. Air cargo only really makes sense once you’ve seen it in action.
Then be curious about how everyone connects: airlines, GSSAs, handlers, forwarders, airports and technology providers.
Find a mentor. Mine was Adrien Thominet. He opened the door, trusted me before I had proven anything, and gave me my love for this industry. Some gifts you never stop being grateful for.
Finally, don’t underestimate soft skills. In an industry this complex, the people who can explain things clearly and build real relationships always stand out. Industry training such as IATA courses is valuable, but nothing replaces time on the ground.
CFG: If the air cargo industry were a film/book, what would its title be?
AS: ‘The Audacity to Fly’. Every flight starts with choices: the decision to take off, the route, the partner you trust. Life is the same. You can stay on the ground where it feels safe, or you can dare. I’ve always chosen to dare.
Thank you very much, Audrey!
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.
