Delta Air Lines Cargo has appointed Rafael Figueroa as its new managing director of cargo operations and customer experience, effective this fall.

According to Delta, Figueroa succeeds Julian Soell and will lead a team of over 1,600 employees, managing Delta’s worldwide cargo operation and customer service.

Figueroa will transition from Aeromexico Cargo, as part of an international talent exchange programme between Delta and Aeromexico which aims to share best practices and skills across all areas of the business.

“Rafael brings extensive experience to Delta – not only through his knowledge of the cargo and ground-handling industry, but also through his understanding of the Latin America market,” said Shawn Cole, vice president of Delta Cargo. “With his familiarity of Aeromexico, we will also be able to deepen and strengthen the cargo joint cooperation agreement between Delta and Aeromexico, as well as continue the momentum of providing industry-leading operations and customer service.”

Figueroa has 12 years of experience in the airline industry and most recently served as vice president of Aeromexico Cargo, with prior roles as vice president of ground handling at Aeromexico and as chairman of the board at SkyTeam Cargo.

Under the JCA between Delta and Aeromexico, customers can work with either carrier to transport cargo across a broad network of flights and joint trucking options. The two airlines have 10 co-located warehouses and are implementing joint sales and marketing initiatives in both countries, according to Delta Cargo.