'Our Duty Is To Facilitate Infrastructure Even Where There Is Little Commercial Viability'

Realising the importance and growth of the air cargo industry and its impact on the Indian economy, AAI incorporated an integrated logistics network entity last year: AAICLAS. After almost a year of operations, AAICLAS has a new Chief Executive Officer, Keku Bomi Gazder, a veteran in the aviation industry. With close to three decades of experience in airlines operations and having worked with several international airlines across the Middle East, South Asia and the Indian sub-continent region, Gazder is enthusiastic and passionate about his new role. He is positive and believes that AAICLAS will be benchmarked against the best in the world. Excerpts from a conversation:

What are AAICLAS’ key priorities?

AAICLAS is a 100 per cent subsidiary of AAI. The vision of the Chairman of AAICLAS, Guruprasad Mohapatra, and that of the AAICLAS Board is very clear. We will be focusing on Cargo Handling, Security and Documentation Handling, Supply Chain, Transshipment facility provider, Airport Free Zones Developer and Project Logistics. We would also work as a multi-modal interface linking air, surface and water transport as well as connecting to hinterland points in India, thus, becoming the largest networked and fastest growing logistics solution provider in India.

We are going to benchmark ourselves on best practices worldwide and on the Ease of Doing Business index. We are in 2017 and now we need to plan where we want to reach by 2022. This five-year vision document with details on our verticals, a blueprint on how and where the company will go forward along with timelines is being currently worked on.

You have spent a lot of time working in the private sector. How is it different to work in a public/government sector?

I have been here for just over a couple of months and I can say that the government sector has its own merits and positives. The government and the various divisions in the Ministry have the technical, financial, operational and knowledge resources combined with the vision to be an agent of change. I have had the privilege to be present at senior level meetings at various ministries and I can say with complete confidence that there is an air of expectation, enthusiasm and change that will be driving results in businesses.

So, at the end of the day, it really does not matter where one comes from as long as one can deliver the desired numbers.