Mark Whitehead, chief executive of Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited, will retire on March 7, 2018, after nearly 8 years leading the company.

According to Hactl, Whitehead will be succeeded by Wilson Kwong, currently the chief executive of Jardine Engineering Corporation. Kwong joined the Jardine Matheson Group in 1998 and has worked in Jardine Aviation Services, the Jardine Matheson head office and Hongkong Land. Prior to joining JEC, he was chief executive officer of Raffles Quay Asset Management, a Hongkong Land joint venture company.

“I welcome Wilson to Hactl, and I am confident that Hactl will flourish under his proven leadership,” said Whitehead. “He will be supported by our unique team, and I wish them all the best.”

Whitehead joined Jardine Matheson in 1987 as an in-house legal counsel and subsequently worked for Jardine Transport Services Group. He was the Jardine Matheson Group’s senior representative for Indo-China from 1996 to 1999, and was then appointed managing director of Schindler Lifts Hong Kong, after which he worked at Hongkong Land as an executive director. He joined Hactl in 2010, taking on the task of steering the company through the biggest challenge in its history – the loss of its majority shareholder and major customer, Cathay Pacific, which became Hactl’s competitor by building its own cargo terminal in Hong Kong.

“I look back with great satisfaction on what we achieved at Hactl and am clear that our extraordinary progress has only been possible through the drive, support and hard work of our workforce,” he said. “I am proud to have led the team, and to have been part of such a strong ‘can do’ culture.”

Under Whitehead’s leadership, Hactl went on to become the largest freighter ramp handler at the busiest cargo airport in the world. The company handled over 100 airlines and more than 1.8 million tonnes of cargo in 2017.

His achievements were recently recognized by The Hong Kong Institute of Directors at its annual awards dinner, where he was named as one of its Directors Of The Year.

“I look forward to hearing about Hactl’s continuing growth and successes,” Whitehead said. “For my own part, I have grown to love the air cargo industry, and the people in it. I still feel I have a lot to offer, and I look forward to opening a new chapter of opportunities and challenges – whatever and wherever they may be.”