The company is an established airline with its own AOC in place, providing charter services in the Chinese region. We appreciate the trust granted and hope for the fruitful and long cooperation.
Two established air cargo leaders join software provider, bringing industry insight to inform its technology and carry out wider commercial strategy
London, United Kingdom, Tuesday 20 th January 2026: Awery Aviation Software (Awery) has appointed David Kerr and Christian Gessner to support the software provider’s ongoing growth and expanding global customer base.
Gessner has been appointed Business Development Manager, bolstering Awery’s commercial team, while Kerr, joining on a consultancy basis, will support Awery with
overall strategic growth and customer engagement.
With over two decades of experience in air cargo, including roles at the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and several aviation software providers, Gessner brings expertise in sales, marketing, business transformation, and supporting the development and adoption of air cargo technology.
“Awery has built a strong reputation for delivering ERP solutions that genuinely support cargo operators day-to-day, while also playing a key role in accelerating technology adoption across an industry that has historically been slow to digitise,” said Gessner.
“I’m joining Awery to tackle a critical industry challenge: accelerating the adoption of practical technology that delivers measurable gains in efficiency, compliance and performance for cargo operators worldwide.”
Kerr joins Awery with extensive senior leadership experience across the air cargo sector, including almost a decade at American Airlines, before moving on to senior leadership roles within Etihad Cargo and European Cargo.
“Having worked closely with airline cargo teams for many years, I understand the operational priorities and challenges Awery’s customers face, and what it takes to deliver tools that bring real improvements,” said Kerr.
“I am excited about the opportunity to join the dots of cross-industry initiatives, and to build on the current momentum of industry digitalisation with Awery’s practical and effective tools.”
Awery’s investment in its commercial team reflects its long-term focus on delivering customer-led technology, and supporting digital transformation across the air cargo industry.
“As Awery continues to grow, we are building out our team with the very best from the industry,” said Tristan Koch, Chief Commercial Officer, Awery.
“Both David and Christian have established reputations within air cargo, and their experience will be invaluable in continuing Awery’s success as we expand our commercial reach.”
Koch, joined by Vitaly Smilianets, Phaedra den Hertog, and Denys Ivanenko, will be attending Air Cargo India in Mumbai from 25-27th February 2026.
We are thrilled to share that Awery was highly commended in the Innovation Award - Digital category, and a special congratulations goes to Anna Balan, Head of CargoBooking, for winning Young Airfreight Professional of the Year!
Although Anna was unable to attend, our CEO and Founder, Vitaly Smilianets PhD, proudly accepted the award on her behalf.
A huge thank you to our dedicated Awery team for your passion and innovation, as well as to the Air Cargo News team and award judges for this recognition.
Congratulations to all the winners!
Annie Roberts, David Kershaw, Damian Brett, Rebecca Jeffrey, Sadiya Khan, Ariaen Zimmerman, Emma Murray, Dulcie Jervis #ACNAwards24 #AweryAviation #15YearsofAwery #CargoBooking