2026 Agenda
Get ready for three days of innovation, insights, and unparalleled networking at Cargo Facts EMEA 2026. Join industry leaders, experts, and professionals as they gather to explore the latest trends, technologies, and strategies transforming the future of air cargo. This immersive experience is your gateway to cutting-edge developments and business opportunities shaping the cargo transportation landscape.
16:00 Registration Opens
📍 Ballroom Foyer
18:00 – 19:30 Opening Reception
📍 Barcine, Brussels Marriott Hotel Grand Place
Sponsored by:
08:00 Registration Opens
📍 Ballroom Foyer
09:00 – 09:15 Opening Remarks
📍 Ballroom
JJ Hornblass, Chairman of Cargo Facts, will open the conference with introductory remarks, welcoming attendees and setting the stage for a morning of meaningful connections and industry insights. He will be followed by welcoming remarks from Geert Aerts, Chief Cargo & Real Estate Officer at Brussels Airport Company.
09:15 – 10:15 Session 1 (Panel) Charting a path forward for the freighter market in EMEA
📍 Ballroom
- Local implications of the influx of maindeck capacity redeployed from elsewhere
- Identify strategies for overcoming uncertainty and geopolitical risk
- Assessing freighter-type demand amid changing regional trade flows
PANELISTS:
- Rainer Mueller, Chief Commercial Officer, Compass Air Cargo
- Graham Perkins, SVP, Sales & Marketing (EMEIA), Atlas Air
- Jan Philipp Pöter, Chief Business Officer, Teleport
MODERATOR:
Sponsored by:
10:15 – 10:45 Session 2: Fireside with Saska Gerasimova, Group CEO of Chapman Freeborn
📍 Ballroom
In her first public appearance since becoming Group CEO of Chapman Freeborn, Saska Gerasimova will take the stage to discuss the economy, trends in freighter fleets, market uncertainty and the outlook for trade and air cargo in the EMEA region.
MODERATOR:
10:45 – 11:15 Morning Coffee Break
📍 Ballroom Foyer
Sponsored by:
11:15 – 11:30 Cargo Facts Consulting Session: Shifting Sands: Key Capacity Dynamics in EMEA
📍 Ballroom
- Highlighting critical changes in supply and demand, validated by data
- Geopolitical and operational disruptions of note
- Key markets benefiting from shifting capacity
PRESENTER:
11:30 – 12:15 Session 3 (Panel) Capacity shortage: Building a widebody fleet for the long term
📍 Ballroom
- Update on types, programs, and orders
- Extending the service life of 747 freighters amid capacity shortage
- Introducing 777 conversions to EMEA markets
PANELISTS:
MODERATOR:
Sponsored by:
12:15 – 13:30 Lunch & Spotlight Presentation by Diamond Sponsor Boeing
📍 Ballroom
Cargo Market and 777-8F Overview:
▪ Industry resilience in the face of disruption
▪ Near-term and long-term cargo market forecast
▪ Build progress on the first 777-8F
PRESENTERS:
- Jeff Egilsrud, Regional Director, Product Marketing, Boeing
- Aaron Tayler, Regional Director, Market Analysis – Air Cargo, Boeing
Sponsored by:
13:45 – 14:30 Session 4 (Presentation) Spotlight on Africa: The continent’s growing role in the global air cargo market
📍 Ballroom
- What is driving air cargo growth in Africa?
- Examining infrastructural opportunities and challenges in Africa
- Partnerships with global carriers to boost interconnectivity
PRESENTER:
MODERATOR:
Sponsored by:
14:30 – 15:00 Session 5 (Panel) Type Talk – A350Fs and Key Trent XWB Developments, Session Presented by Airbus
📍 Ballroom
- Update on A350F product features and production status
- Key service dynamics related to the Trent XWB
- A350 customer feedback and insights
PANELISTS:
- Stanislas Brun, Chief Cargo Officer, Etihad Cargo
- Ian Smith, Chief Project Engineer – Trent XWB, Rolls-Royce
MODERATOR:
15:00 – 15:30 Afternoon Coffee Break
📍 Ballroom Foyer
Sponsored by:
15:30 – 16:30 Session 6 (Panel) Solutions for a stagnant narrowbody-freighter market: When will the capacity oversupply end?
📍 Ballroom
- Outlook for the remainder of 2026 in the EMEA region, with consideration to the war in Iran
- Securing feedstock, engines, conversion slots, and component support
- Meeting European ESG targets while extending retirement timelines for 757 and 737 Classic freighters
PANELISTS:
- Colin Grant, Chief Operating Officer, ASL Aviation Holdings
- Alex Harrington, Commercial Director, Titan Airways
- George Seturidze, Chief Executive Officer, Camex Airlines
MODERATOR:
Sponsored by:
18:00 Cargo Facts EMEA Gala Dinner
📍 Brussels Marriott Hotel Grand Place — Ballroom
📅 Wednesday, April 29, 2026 | 🕕 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Join us for the highly anticipated Cargo Facts EMEA 2026 Gala Dinner, an evening dedicated to connection, celebration, and exceptional hospitality in the heart of Brussels.
Held in the elegant Ballroom of the Brussels Marriott Hotel Grand Place, this signature event brings together the global air cargo community for a refined evening of networking and entertainment.
Guests will enjoy a three-course plated dinner, live music, and a hosted bar throughout the evening, all set within a sophisticated and welcoming atmosphere designed to foster meaningful industry connections.
The Gala Dinner is included in your registration, but RSVP is required to secure your place during registration.
Dress code: Business Professional / Cocktail Attire
08:00 Registration Opens
📍 Ballroom Foyer
09:00 – 09:15 Welcoming Remarks
📍 Ballroom
09:15 – 10:00 Session 7 (Panel) Navigating the engine and MRO crisis: Cost pressures, shop capacity, and emerging solutions
📍 Ballroom
- Dealing with engine shortages, skyrocketing LLP costs, and regional labor challenges
- Securing MRO capacity in EMEA or pivoting to other regions because of war-related risks
- Overcoming tariff uncertainty for engines and parts
PANELISTS:
- Brian Hiner, Business Operations Manager, GE Aerospace
- Peter Koster, Head of Freighter Lease & Trading, Aircraft Finance Germany
- Derek Paterson, VP of Sales & Leasing EMEA, Aero Capital Solutions
MODERATOR:
10:00 – 10:30 Morning Coffee Break
📍 Ballroom Foyer
Sponsored by:
10:30 – 11:30 Session 8 (Panel) Leasing the future: Investor demand and the flow of capital to support growth in the freighter segment
📍 Ballroom
- Update on leasing company activities in the freighter market to meet emerging-markets growth in Central Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa
- Current investor appetite for freighters; who is and is not ordering freighters?
- Gauging lease availability across EMEA markets
PANELISTS:
- Eamonn Forbes, SVP & Chief Commercial Officer, Titan Aviation Leasing
- Marc Iarchy, Partner, World Star Aviation
- Christian Mailly, Managing Director, Dr. Peters Group
- Steve Williamson, Chief Commercial Officer, Crestone Air Partners
GUEST MODERATOR:
Sponsored by:
11:30 – 12:15 Session 9 (Panel) Appraisers’ insights: Changing dynamics of freighter and feedstock values
📍 Ballroom
- For how long will regional operators pay a higher price for older, limited conversion feedstock? How is the war changing the calculus?
- Are higher maintenance costs decreasing the value of older freighters amid continuing supply chain and new– production aircraft constraints?
- Projected values of conversion feedstock over the next three to five years
PANELISTS:
- Alice Gondry, Director, Aviation Research – ISTAT Certified Senior Appraiser, MUFG Bank
- Oliver Stuart-Menteth, Managing Director, Fintech Aviation Services
MODERATOR:
12:15 – 13:30 Networking Luncheon
📍 Ballroom
Sponsored by:
14:00 Conclusion