Justin King - country manager with IATA
What were you doing before accepting your new position?
For the last three years I was based in Suva, Fiji as the Qantas Airways Country Manager for Fiji and the Pacific Islands.
Why did you apply for this job?
Three reasons, firstly I had
been in Fiji to three years and I was ready for some new challenges. Secondly the role with IATA looked extremely interesting in that it touched on so many aspects of the airline industry, and thirdly it would provide me with an excellent opportunity to further broaden my industry knowledge and management skills.
What does your new job entail?
The mission of IATA is to represent, lead and serve the airline industry. IATA brings together 265 member airlines, including the world's largest.
As IATA's country manager for New Zealand, I manage a small team of specialist staff out of our Auckland office. The key function of this role is to be the main point of contact for airlines, travel agents, cargo agents and industry service providers for any matter related to IATA. Another function of this role is to oversee the management of the IATA Airline- Agency settlement system for passenger and cargo agents.
What particular challenges do you face working in this sector?
IATA has initiated five projects under its "Simplifying The Business" programme that are intended to generate $6.5 billion in savings for the industry. The most urgent of the "Simplifying The Business" projects is to achieve 100% e-ticketing by the end of 2007.
This will generate $3 billion in savings for the industry annually as operators make paper tickets a thing of the past. The most immediate challenge for me is to make sure that New Zealand and more importantly the Pacific Islands are able to meet this deadline.
What do you do in your spare time?
What spare time? We have an industry to save.
