As a strategic initiative to further strengthen Virgin Atlantic Cargo`s commercial team, the airline announces today the appointment of native New Yorker, John Ryan to the key position of General Manager Commercial.

Reporting to John Lloyd, Virgin Atlantic`s Director of Cargo, John will assume his vital new role with effect from July. His overall responsibility is the Commercial department and the Commercial activities of Virgin Atlantic Cargo world-wide, (excluding North America). John`s role also involves improving efficiencies, aligning the airline`s systems and procedures and to oversee the re-branding of the Virgin Atlantic Cargo products so that it has a consistent and high profile range of services in all the countries that it operates. John will be based at the airline`s world-wide head office in Gatwick.

John, with over 30 years of invaluable experience in sales and management within the air cargo and international freight forwarding industry, has spent the last 14 years working at Virgin Atlantic Cargo`s US headquarters based at Lake Success in New York. Prior to John`s new appointment, John has held the position of Vice President Commercial, the Americas where he was responsible for sales, marketing and business development.

Commented John Lloyd “The appointment of John as our new General Manager Commercial, sees Virgin Atlantic Cargo bringing together the two sides of the Atlantic. I am delighted that John will be joining our UK based operation and I am fully confident that he will continue to be as successful on this side of the Atlantic, as he has been in the Americas.”

After serving in the US Navy for a two and a half year tour of duty, John got his first taste of the transportation business in the shipping department of Bloomingdale`s, New York. From there he went on to broaden his experience working for Western Carloading; a US domestic freight forwarder specialising in coast to coast surface transportation.

Having gained the knowledge and experience within the domestic arena, John moved to Pracht International, a German Ocean Freight NVOCC forwarder based in New York City. In 1978, John was transferred to `K` Pracht Air Services at JFK International Airport, to learn the International air cargo forwarding business. John furthered his air cargo experience at Jardines Air Cargo before joining PandAir in 1983. At PandAir John took on responsibility for both import and export sales for various east coast cities out of JFK International Airport, with the UK being his prime focus area. John joined Virgin Atlantic Cargo in 1987.

John is married with 3 children and his hobbies include sailing and golf.

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