Newly formed Asia Pacific freight giant Mondiale VGL has appointed Justine Smyth as independent director and chair as the company looks to its next phase of growth in the global freight forwarding sector.
It marks the two-year anniversary of the merger of Mondiale Freight Services and VISA Global Logistics which propelled the entity into the world’s top 30 freight forwarders with a combined annual revenue of NZ$1.3 billion.
Mondiale VGL chief executive Ray Meade says it has been a significant two years for the business with the merger, the acquisition of Customs Agency Services (CAS) in South Australia and further strategic investments in China, Spain, Germany, and India.
The business has transitioned into a global entity, and today, the rapidly growing freight forwarding company employs over 1500 staff across 39 offices in New Zealand, Australia, Asia, Europe, and the USA, supported by 1000 agency offices worldwide.
“Our goal was to build a global supply chain operation with its roots in the Asia Pacific region, and we are firmly on the path to achieving that, with our strategic position across New Zealand, Australia, Asia, Europe, and America.”
Meade says the merger has given the new entity a particularly strong competitive advantage in Australasia and robust networks right across the global supply chain.
It has allowed Mondiale VGL to provide increased commercial value to customers during a challenging period for the industry, following COVID-19 and continued supply chain constraints, he says.
“While the sector faces ongoing pressure, our united volumes, long term relationships with carriers and suppliers, and combined 40 years of industry knowledge have enabled us to solve complex supply chain issues and innovate at pace.
“A key factor of our success has been the way our people have come together and embraced the merger. We’re thrilled to watch them grow their careers within a global organisation and have made several senior appointments to support our expansion ambitions.
“Having Justine Smyth join Mondiale VGL to chair our board is another important step forward for our business,” Meade says.
Smyth’s appointment to the Mondiale VGL board of directors will supports the firm’s strategic goal of leveraging its capabilities, cementing long-term customer partnerships, and expanding its global reach.
She brings extensive commercial and governance experience and is currently the chair of Spark NZ and chair of The Breast Cancer Foundation NZ. She was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) for services to governance and women in 2020.
On joining the board of directors, Smyth notes the opportunities that the merger has created for the business.
“Mondiale VGL has built Oceania’s leading freight forwarder by bringing together two highly experienced industry leaders in the supply chain and logistics sector.
“This has established solid strategic and financial foundations, with current and expected market dynamics creating further opportunity to scale.
“I’m thrilled to be joining the Mondiale VGL team at such an exciting time in their expansion journey,” Smyth says.
