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ECS Group has appointed Francisco Hernandez as Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the Americas, strengthening its regional leadership structure as it advances its global transformation of the general sales and service agent (GSA) business model.
Hernandez will work closely with Joao Ferreira, Chief Commercial Officer – Americas, to build a more integrated regional organisation that can scale across markets while preserving local expertise, customer relationships and service quality.
Having spent 16 years with ECS Group, Hernandez brings extensive experience across its US operations, including commercial activities, customer service, operational delivery and airline partnerships. In his new role, he will oversee regional coordination and operational execution of the Group’s Americas strategy, with priorities spanning stronger airline partnerships, flexible customer solutions and the integration of digital capabilities.
Jean Ceccaldi, Chief Executive Officer of ECS Group, said the appointment supports the Group’s ambition to combine digital capabilities with human expertise to strengthen commercial resilience and growth. He highlighted Hernandez’s contribution to building the company’s US airline portfolio and his understanding of CargoTech’s digital capabilities as key strengths for the role.
Hernandez’s immediate focus will be to bring teams across the Americas closer together, improve coordination and establish a consistent operating rhythm across the region. Greater sharing of market intelligence, coordinated key-account management and the development of cross-border and interline flows are expected to help local teams deliver faster, more tailored solutions across the US, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean.
“Getting the Americas to operate as one connected network, will open up many opportunities and offer far greater customer value,” Hernandez said, emphasising the importance of team alignment, clear accountability, consistent performance management and faster escalation and decision-making.
Digital transformation will also remain central to the regional strategy, supporting improvements in productivity, responsiveness and operational decision-making. By combining local market knowledge with coordinated execution and the wider Group’s capabilities, ECS Group aims to deliver a more connected and consistent service experience for airline partners and customers across the Americas.
ECS Group has appointed Francisco Hernandez as Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the Americas, strengthening its regional leadership structure as it advances its global transformation of the general sales and service agent (GSA) business model. Hernandez will work closely with Joao Ferreira, Chief Commercial Officer – Americas, to build a more integrated regional organisation that can scale across markets while preserving local expertise, customer relationships and service quality. Having spent 16 years with ECS Group, Hernandez brings extensive experience across its US operations, including commercial activities, customer service, operational delivery and airline partnerships. In his new role, he will oversee regional coordination and operational execution of the Group’s Americas strategy, with priorities spanning stronger airline partnerships, flexible customer solutions and the integration of digital capabilities. Jean Ceccaldi, Chief Executive Officer of ECS Group, said the appointment supports the Group’s ambition to combine digital capabilities with human expertise to strengthen commercial resilience and growth. He highlighted Hernandez’s contribution to building the company’s US airline portfolio and his understanding of CargoTech’s digital capabilities as key strengths for the role. Hernandez’s immediate focus will be to bring teams across the Americas closer together, improve coordination and establish a consistent operating rhythm across the region. Greater sharing of market intelligence, coordinated key-account management and the development of cross-border and interline flows are expected to help local teams deliver faster, more tailored solutions across the US, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. “Getting the Americas to operate as one connected network, will open up many opportunities and offer far greater customer value,” Hernandez said, emphasising the importance of team alignment, clear accountability, consistent performance management and faster escalation and decision-making. Digital transformation will also remain central to the regional strategy, supporting improvements in productivity, responsiveness and operational decision-making. By combining local market knowledge with coordinated execution and the wider Group’s capabilities, ECS Group aims to deliver a more connected and consistent service experience for airline partners and customers across the Americas.
Air Charter Service (ACS) has appointed Nick Harris as Airline Liaison Director for the Middle East and Indian Subcontinent, reinforcing the company’s focus on deepening strategic airline relationships across the region. Based in the UAE, Harris brings nearly two decades of experience with ACS, having joined the company in London in 2006 before relocating to Dubai in 2009. He most recently served as Cargo Director for the region for over 12 years. In his new role, Harris will focus on strengthening engagement with airlines across the Middle East and Indian Subcontinent while supporting operational and emergency logistics requirements, including Aircraft on Ground (AOG) situations, urgent crew movements, replacement aircraft leasing and critical spare parts transportation. Highlighting the strategic importance of closer collaboration in a region that hosts a huge number of airlines, ACS Group Cargo Director, Dan Morgan-Evans said, "We work with thousands of airlines around the world with them as suppliers, arranging more than 35,000 flights last year, but also as customers, supporting their logistics requirements, as well as in AOG situations, so having one person to develop these relationships in the region is key." "Nick has been with ACS for almost 20 years, starting in our London headquarters in 2006, before moving to Dubai in 2009. Five years later he became Cargo Director for the region, a post that he has held for the last 12 years. He will now turn his attention to forging even stronger relationships with local airlines," Dan added. The role will span ACS’s cargo, private jet and group charter divisions, with a particular emphasis on time-critical logistics services such as onboard courier (OBC) and next flight out (NFO) solutions. Speaking on the new assignment, Harris noted that having worked with airlines in the region for more than 15 years, the role would help further strengthen long-standing partnerships with regional carriers while positioning ACS as a key logistics support partner during urgent operational scenarios. "I’m really excited to start this new chapter in my career," Harris expressed.
