SASI – a Hong Kong and Montreal-based air cargo consulting specialist – has launched a US-based subsidiary named SASI USA.
“The air transport industry is going through its worst crisis in history and passenger revenue has all but evaporated, but air cargo remains an island of stability and a critically important source of revenue for airlines, airports, and other industry stakeholders,” SASI said in a statement.
The firm launched the subsidiary to gain a firmer foothold in the US air transport sector and to better respond to US client needs. The subsidiary will have access to SASI’s global consulting capabilities and expertise.
Founded in 2005, SASI offers management consulting services to air freight clients across the globe. The firm advises clients on strategy, air cargo logistics, route development, traffic rights assistance, rules and regulations, airport facilities development, training and development, and e-commerce integration. SASI partners with The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) and The International Air Transport Association (IATA) for its training and development offering.
The independent consultancy’s team of 11 experts all have extensive, senior-level aviation backgrounds. SASI has team members in North America, Russia, Hong Kong, and Dubai.
SASI USA will be staffed by three of the firm’s consultants: VPs Mark Diamond and Charles Edwards, and senior associate consultant Jack Keery.
Diamond has 30+ years of government, industry, and consulting experience in air transport. He was previously the head of air cargo consulting at management consultancy ICF. Before joining ICF’s aviation practice in 1997, he held roles at Mercer Management Consulting (now Oliver Wyman), aviation consultancy Kurth & Company, the FAA, and American Airlines.
Edwards has more than 40 years of experience in road, rail, and air transport logistics and management. He recently held a number of senior roles at the North Carolina Department of Transportation, including director of the logistics and freight division. He was previously executive director of the North Carolina Center for Global Logistics and a faculty member at the University of Virginia.
Keery has more than 40 years of air cargo industry experience, and was a founding member of SASI in 2005. He has advised and served in interim management positions at numerous leading firms, including British Airways, KLM Cargo, and Swissport. Keery also previously held senior and executive management roles with scheduled airlines and FedEx.
SASI earlier this year entered into an alliance with Russian Aero Bureau Consulting (ABC), an air cargo consultancy formed by former executives from Volga-Dnepr Group, a large Russian air cargo firm.
The two companies will jointly provide aviation consulting services to stakeholders in whatever region they are located.
Stan Wraight, president and CEO of SASI, said the alliance will “fill the gap we had in Russia and the CIS.”