Ram Menen retires from Emirates SkyCargo after 40 years in air freight

THE global air cargo community will soon lose one of its pillar personalities when Ram Menen retires from Emirates SkyCargo in June.

"After nearly 40 years in the business, as I come of age and still being in good health, I have decided to take early retirement to spend some quality time with family and friends," he told friends in an email.

Said IATA Cargo chief Des Vertannes: "There will never be another like him. He imparts knowledge, expertise and experience without wanting or seeking reward. He's endured economic crises, wars, high fuel costs, security threats, while all the time building an airline's cargo product. When everyone else was outsourcing their commercial activities, he didn't."

Mr Menen led the carrier's cargo arm from its launch in 1985, to it becoming the largest cargo combination airline in the world last year.

Mr Menen said he was prepared to continue activities with industry associations and related organisations particularly in efforts to help the next generation."

An engineer, he was behind the development of the LD-36 ULD, which increased usable space on each lower deck pallet space by 33 per cent. He helped found TIACA, headed IATA's Cargo Committee from 2008 to 2011 while being a member for nearly 20 years, and - famously - ensured that IATA Cargo was able to function under a less-than-understanding director general.