The Heavy Lift Group re-elects executives driving growth

TORONTO : The Heavy Lift Group has re-elected three key executive committee members and appointed a new member in its ‘stand by’ post to provide cover in reserve, in moves signalling the specialized international project forwarding grouping continues its strategy for growth.

THLG’s annual conference, staged last week in the Hague, provided the backdrop to announce the re-election of Ms. Elisabeth Cosmatos as President of the industry grouping. Also re-elected were Colin D’Abreo, as THLG Treasurer, and Alessio Bianchi as Admissions Officer.

Ms. Cosmatos, who is CEO, Cosmatos Group and offers representation from Greece, has been elected for a second year-long term, following her appointment as the first woman President of THLG in 2023.

Mr D’Abreo, who is VP Director, Rhenus Project Logistics Global, offers THLG representation from the USA.  Mr Bianchi, Managing Director, DCS Liburnus Project SRL, brings representation to the group from Italy’s project cargo sector.

The executive committee also includes Marianne Blechingberg, MD, OY Hacklin Logistics (Finland) and Richard Lee, Director of Business Development, CNC Freight Services Sdn Bhd (Malaysia).

Ildus Bariev has also been welcomed to the executive committee as its second ad hoc member. In this role, he will attend meetings and be ready to step in, in the event of unexpected changes in Excom members. Group General Manager, Projects, Rail and Ocean Division, Globalink Logistics, Mr. Bariev offers representation from Kazakhstan and joins Donald Kinsella, President, KBB Transport Ltd (Canada) who was appointed as an ad hoc member last year.

Commenting on her re-appointment as President, Ms. Cosmatos said she was grateful to THLG members for their recognition of the work done by the executive committee in the past year.

“Working as part of the executive committee, I remain committed to continuing to represent THLG standards of excellence in the project cargo sector, and to pushing forward with efforts to support individual members and the influence of the group as a whole.”

As a network, THLG strives to provide the highest quality of services to clients worldwide. Ms. Cosmatos has been part of the THLG executive committee for more than seven years, and was previously responsible for marketing, corporate image and identity. She has over 25 years’ experience in shipping, forwarding and logistics.

As well as continuing to encourage collaboration and wider networking between members, and developing promotional, event-based and training opportunities, she said THLG would seek to drive forward an agenda for greater gender equality across a specialised area of logistics.

Founded in 1987 by a consortium of western-European heavy-lift operators in anticipation of the Single European Market, THLG has since expanded to include almost 70 companies from North and South America, Asia, Africa, Oceania and other parts of Europe. Drawing on the combined know how, skills, and technologies available to its membership, THLG is widely recognized as a leading industry alliance whose expertise covers all specialised heavy transport requirements.