Chapman Freeborn expands its Africa team

Chapman Freeborn has tripled its Africa team on the back of a 30 percent year-on-year increase in cargo revenues in the region from 2021 to 2023, as the charter specialist prepares to celebrate its 50th Anniversary.

Sharon Vaz-Arab, part of Chapman Freeborn’s new regional management team, is heading up the development of its Africa product offering, including cargo charter, live animal (AVI), and on-board courier (OBC) products, as the charter broker looks to expand its footprint beyond South Africa, towards the whole of sub-Saharan Africa in 2023.

Chapman Freeborn is supporting the continued demand for oil and gas, energy, and automotive imports in the region with its increased short-term and medium-term block charters and the development of its Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance (ACMI) leasing product.

“Infrastructure in Africa is developing quickly to support international trade and we see major advancements on the logistics and supply chain front,” said Sharon Vaz-Arab, Regional Chief Executive Officer (CEO), India, Middle East, and Africa (IMEA), Chapman Freeborn.

“South Africa is high on automotive trade and our OBC product serves the sector’s increasing calls for time sensitive critical hand carry movements that are faster than a charter or a courier.

“We have an extremely talented team in Africa and my estimate is that if Chapman Freeborn’s Africa operations continue at this pace, we will need a much larger office by the year end.”

This week, Chapman Freeborn’s Africa team are joining the air cargo community at Air Cargo Africa in Johannesburg, meeting with stakeholders and ensuring the continued implementation of Chapman Freeborn’s ambitious regional expansion plans in the run up to its 50th anniversary in May 2023.