CargoForwarder Global’s ‘Spotlight On…’ series illustrates the wide range of careers that exist within the air cargo industry. One previously sluggish segment that really began taking off when the pandemic began, is digital services. Digital marketplaces and processes bring efficiency and opportunities to the air cargo industry – in the areas of collaboration, pricing, load-planning, booking, resource-planning, sustainability, and so much more. When data meets technology, innovation, and the right mindset, air cargo gets to move faster, smarter, and – in this particular case – at the right price. Antonia Ambrozy, Director Revenue Operations, Freightos, takes us through her responsibilities, experiences and thoughts on the industry.
CFG: What is your current function and company? And what are your responsibilities?
AA: I’m the Revenue Operations Director at Freightos, which connects carriers, forwarders, and shippers on a global freight procurement, pricing and booking platform. In other words, I connect the people and data points inside the organization to help us connect the global logistics players globally. I am also very much involved with our digital booking and software side, engaging with customers and partners all over the world to help them move freight faster. I love wearing many different hats and having the opportunity to own many responsibilities. For example, I bridge the gap between our brilliant backend teams and the logistics experts on the ground. Whether it’s through marketing, product strategy, or just getting people excited about the future, my job is to help our industry go digital, one click at a time and to infinity and beyond. When I’m not working, I love traveling, running, Broadway plays and running a little more.
CFG: What does a normal day look like for you?
AA: A ‘normal’ day in our industry? That’s a lovely idea! The only real constant is the coffee (and I don’t even drink coffee). My days are a whirlwind mix: I could be in back-to-back meetings with our teams and customers from all over the world, brainstorming a new marketing campaign, working with forwarders to understand their biggest daily headaches, diving into data to see how we can make our platforms even more intuitive, and shaping the strategic planning of our company. It’s fast, it’s global, and it’s never boring.
CFG: How long have you been in the air cargo industry, and what brought you to it?
AA: I’ve been in the logistics space through my entire career. I truly grew up in the industry, starting with an internship at one of the biggest airlines in the world, exactly 10 years ago. The cargo industry enabled me to find my place in working life and work all over the world, in places like JFK in New York, which I will always be grateful for. I never had a reason or even saw a reason to leave this massive, vitally important global industry that was still running on faxes (did I mention pneumatic tubes?), spreadsheets, and decade-old systems. The sheer scale of the opportunity to make a real, tangible impact was just too compelling to ignore. I love a good transformation story! And my current company allows me to spread my wings to other modes of transportation including ground and ocean. What more could I possibly ask for?
CFG: What do you enjoy most about your job?
AA: The people, without question. This industry is built on experience and relationships, and I feel so lucky that I get to work with some of the most passionate, knowledgeable, and genuinely wonderful people from all over the world. A very close second is that ‘lightbulb moment’. It’s that instance in a demo or a conversation when you see it click for a forwarder or a carrier or a partner, like a TMS, how much time and frustration they’re about to save. Helping make their day-to-day work easier is incredibly rewarding.
CFG: Where do you see the greatest challenges in our industry?
AA: Our biggest challenge is simply moving past the ‘but this is how we’ve always done it’ mindset. We’re not just changing software; we’re changing decades of habit. The technology is here, but the human element of change management is the real mountain to climb. Beyond that, sustainability is a huge one. We have a massive responsibility to make cargo more efficient, and digital tools are a key part of that – not just for booking greener routes, but for using data to optimize every single kilogram of capacity so we can reduce waste and fly smarter. And we have a responsibility to never stop. The world doesn’t either. There are so many areas that have barely moved forward – looking at cross-border and import bookings or payment methods in the industry. We owe it to ourselves to keep changing and continuously innovating.
CFG: What advice would you give to people looking to get into the air cargo industry?
AA: Just jump in! My best advice is to be relentlessly curious and ask ‘why?’… a lot. You don’t need to memorize every IATA code on day one to be successful. This industry is hungry for fresh perspectives. At the same time, it’s extremely happy to share knowledge and give best-practice examples. So, if you’re a natural problem-solver, you’ll be invaluable. But the industry is so much more. There are so many different paths, and no matter what you enjoy doing, you will very likely find the right fit. And imagine how awesome it is to know that you could be part of the bigger picture, like ensuring that disaster relief or urgently-needed medication gets to where it is most needed.
CFG: If the air cargo industry were a film/book, what would its title be?
AA: Oh, that’s a great question! I’d go with: It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint. I love running, and I am definitely in it for the long haul to revolutionize the industry.
Many thanks, Antonia!
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.
