Although the announcement is yet to made, Lionel Van der Walt, longtime house employee of IATA, has been named president of Cargo Network Services (CNS), and appears to have been handed a hot potato as the revolving door continues spinning at CNS.
     Van der Walt is the third CNS President in the past five years, but he does differ from previous CNS Presidents—namely Jones, Vertannes, (acting) Vorwerk, Tubbesing, and Calabrese—in that he assumes command of an organization with a stated goal of extending the airline/forwarder partnership with what appears to be no air cargo experience.
     A document obtained by FlyingTypers stated:
     “Lionel brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership experience to the team, including over twenty years of aviation experience, including many years in various roles at South African Express Airways, South African Airways, and being licensed as an Air Traffic Controller.
     “Since joining IATA in 2005, Lionel has held multiple positions in South Africa, Spain, and the United States.
     “Most recently, Lionel was the Caribbean Area Manager, where he delivered excellent results by partnering with our member airlines and industry stakeholders, leading an outstanding team to drive innovation, safety and commercial revenues across the Caribbean region.”