Gerd von Mansberg hands Haynes the reins

Leonard Neill THE CARGO Connection (TCC) has a new chief executive. Former head Gerd von Mansberg handed over the reins to Anthony Haynes in an unexpected announcement this week. Formerly of Express Air Services, Cape Town, Haynes took up his new position on March 1. He will form part of an executive committee delegated to run the company. It includes Von Mansberg’s two sons, Dieter (European office director) and Arne (head of the Cape Town branch) along with the company’s financial director, Aubrey Duvenage. “I will remain as non-executive chairman of the company,” said Von Mansberg snr, “but I am not going to be involved directly in the day to day running. Instead I will concentrate exclusively on commercial freight projects for airlines, both those TCC represents as a GSA now, and others in the pipeline. “It is a matter of putting together a new concept of interline connections as well as establishing new routes to be served.” One of Von Mansberg’s major concerns will be the expansion of routes operated by South Africa’s only scheduled, privately-owned freighter service, Hydro Air, of which he is already commercial manager. Before moving to Cape Town, Haynes was involved in courier operations in Gauteng for a number of years. Another newcomer to the TCC fold is Karen Mitchell, who has been appointed national sales manager. Previously with Swissport and IATA, Mitchell said this week her return to direct dealings in general sales agency among airlines is what she has been seeking. “I was happy dealing directly with cargo sales when I was with Qantas Airways some years ago in that role, and I’m thrilled with the new challenge offered me.”