The company also has a policy of employing all its staff directly, not through any human resources firm or third-party contractors, unlike what its competitors tend to do, according to Whitehead.

“We always believe that is the correct thing to do. All of our 2,500 workers were employed by us directly, which means that they can join our company as a young man and have a career path right through.” Whitehead believes this is also a competitive edge for Hactl.

Strength in numbers

Whitehead noted that the air cargo industry in Hong Kong has a significant edge over rivals in Shenzhen or Guangzhou, thanks to the SAR’s great connectivity.

“Our advantage is that we have more numbers of flights in and out the terminal, which is crucial in the business,” said Whitehead.

“For example if you have some cargo you want to fly to Los Angeles, for whatever reason you miss a flight, (in Hong Kong) you will still have another five to go, it is all about connectivity and Hong Kong is the best for that.”

This is also why the city needs a third runway, because Hong Kong needs to have the ability to handle the majority of world airlines, he said.

Whitehead said that he came to Hong Kong in 1983 as a lawyer, then joined Jardine Matheson & Co Ltd in 1987.

After Swire Pacific Ltd and affiliate Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd sold their stake in Hactl in 2010, the other existing shareholders, which included Jardine Matheson Group, bought up the shares and Whitehead took over as the chief executive.

The air freight industry is a dynamic business, Whitehead said, and the company has to work very hard to maintain service levels to keep its customer base, because it is a volume-driven business. “If the company has volume, everything is okay,” he said.

“I’m extremely proud of my work force,” added Whitehead.

“They are loyal to Hactl — we’ve got many employees who have been with us since day one and still working, for almost 40 years.

“They work in very difficult conditions, depending on the time of the year, we have a very good working relationship between the management and the work force, which is built on respect and mutual understanding.”

But unfortunately, young professionals in Hong Kong do not seem very attracted to the air cargo business, he said, since many choose to leave the company in their first year.

“I think it is because it’s hard work in difficult conditions (that drives young people away), and they have to work on shift basis. The time spent traveling is also quite long — young people have other options.”

But he stressed that once people make it through their first year, they will get used to the working environment and tend to work in the company for a very long time.

“We have good career prospects, good job security. Besides, air cargo is a robust growing industry — if you look at the numbers coming out of manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus, the orders being placed for aircraft are huge, so the industry has a very positive future.”

And after so many years, he is still passionate about the industry: “If I’m not, I won’t be here. Life is too short to do things you don’t like.”

Contact the writer at sophiehe@chinadailyhk.com