From TIACA to Swissport – a smooth transition. Steven Polmans is moving from his honorary role as Chairman of The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) to ground handling agent Swissport. The company announced this in a statement aired 02NOV25. As new “Global Senior Vice President Cargo,” Steven’s first day in office will be 15NOV2025.
Not only does the energetic manager deserve congratulations on his new position, but so does Swissport. With Polmans, the agent has gained an extremely experienced manager who is well connected in the industry, drives innovation and – it should be added – is a person of high integrity. Together with Dirk Goovaerts, Global Cargo Chair of Swissport, he is likely to take the agent’s business to a new level.
Extensive work package
Steven’s appointment aligns with Swissport’s policy to strengthen its leadership team with industry experts who can drive sustainable growth and operational excellence across its global network. It is a very extensive work package with an enormous amount of responsibility, especially in a company where processes are well established and not everyone is likely to cheer when well-trodden paths come to an end and innovations are introduced. Internal persuasion is therefore another key aspect that is likely to be on Polman’s to-do list.
Growing Swissport’s market position
His main task is navigating Swissport International’s global air cargo operations by developing and driving the agent’s air freight strategy, enhancing its commercial performance, and positioning the Zurich, Switzerland-based company as an innovative, value-adding service provider in the air cargo market.
In his new role, Polmans will be responsible for identifying key growth opportunities through both organic expansion and strategic M&A activities. As the key point of contact for all commercial matters and business development initiatives, he will play a crucial role in strengthening the company’s global reputation and ensuring Swissport maintains its position as a market heavyweight in the sector.
It is no surprise that the reactions by the Swissport leadership team to Polmans’ appointment were very positive. Dirk Goovaerts, CEO Continental Europe, Middle East, Africa, India and Global Cargo Chair at Swissport stated: “His extensive experience in transforming cargo operations, building strategic industry partnerships, and driving innovation makes him the ideal leader to further enhance and grow our cargo services worldwide. Steven’s deep industry knowledge and forward-thinking approach will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen our position as a global leader in air cargo handling.”
Wide-spread network
Polmans joins Swissport with an extensive background in the air cargo industry. He served as Director of Cargo & Logistics at Brussels Airport Company, where he played a key role in developing BRUcargo into a leading pharmaceutical logistics hub. In JAN2021, Steven moved on and joined Nallian as their Chief Customer Officer, a data sharing company building amongst others the innovative BRUcloud platform. In addition to his latest professional activities as an independent air cargo consultant he served eight years as Chairman of The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA), demonstrating exceptional leadership in fostering collaboration across the air cargo supply chain. His wide-spread network and deep understanding of global cargo markets will be valuable assets to Swissport as it pursues delivering best-in-practice services to airlines and freight forwarders, optimizing revenue, and driving operational efficiencies.
Focusing on China and the APAC region
Swissport’s Air Cargo division handles over 5 million tons of air freight annually across 117 cargo warehouses worldwide. Only recently, Swissport inked a commercial agreement to manage and jointly operate the new Digital & Intelligent International Cargo Terminal at Shanghai Pudong Airport in partnership with Smargo, a joint venture between AVINEX Logistics and China Eastern Airlines Logistics.
According to Swissport, the opening of additional stations in China stand high on the expansion program. A task that Steven Polmans must now focus on.
