TIACA Names Airport Executive Mammen Tharakan as New Director General

The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) has appointed Mammen Tharakan, an experienced airport and cargo operations executive, to lead the organization as director general beginning in August 2024. Tharakan replaces Glyn Hughes, who announced his planned retirement after leading TIACA since 2021. This leadership transition represents a strategic shift toward stronger operational and commercial focus within the air cargo industry's principal advocacy and education body.

Tharakan brings three years of experience as vice president of airlines, commercial operations, and cargo partnerships at Saudi Arabia's King Salman International Airport Development Company, where he has helped shape the development of a major aviation hub. His background also includes roles at Edmonton International Airport and with Air France-KLM, positioning him as someone deeply familiar with both airport-side and airline-side cargo challenges. TIACA's board emphasized his strategic vision and collaborative leadership as key factors in the selection.

For supply chain professionals, this appointment signals potential evolution in how TIACA advocates for air cargo interests globally. With Tharakan's airport and real-world operational background, the organization may intensify focus on infrastructure capacity, sustainable practices, and international standardization—areas critical to efficient cargo movement. The transition includes a planned overlap period with outgoing director Hughes to ensure continuity of initiatives launched during his tenure, including expanded sustainability programs and strengthened member engagement.