Long-serving Australian Federation of International Forwarders (AFIF) chief Brian Lovell has been acknowledged by the AFIF Board of Directors for 15 years of service. The Board congratulated Lovell for his “tireless efforts” in co-ordinating the daily running of AFIF as well as acting as secretary general to the Federation of Asia Pacific Air Cargo Association (FAPAA). Originally from the UK, Lovell spent his early years in the industry with the Thomas Meadows group at London’s Heathrow Airport, learning the customs clearance and forwarding business. In 1981, he was offered the opportunity to go to Sydney, Australia and joined group company AFA Meadows as a managementtrainee.

In 1994, Lovell was appointed the first full-time chief executive of the Federation (then AFAFF). In 1996 AFAFF joined forces with the Seacargo Forwarders representative body IFAA to form AFIF and Lovell was appointed chief of the merged entity.

Thanking his colleagues for the recognition, Lovell said: “This is my job, it’s what I do, and to be recognised and rewarded in this way is such an honour.I truly am touched.”