Founded in 1971, Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd (Hactl) started terminal operation in 1976 to meet demand for a consolidated air cargo service in Hong Kong’s manufacturing economy.

Over the next two decades, Hactl built two air cargo terminals at Kai Tak International Airport to cater for the rapid growth of air cargo within the region. By 1997, the annual throughput reached 1.7 million tons.

In 1998, Hactl moved to SuperTerminal 1 at Hong Kong International Airport in Chek Lap Kok. Representing an investment of $1 billion and capable of handling 3.5 million tons of cargo per year, SuperTerminal 1 was designed and built to do one thing: manage cargo in the smartest possible way.

In May 2010, Swire Pacific Ltd and its aviation associate Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd announced an agreement to sell their entire interests, 19.998 percent and 10 percent respectively, in Hactl and Hactl Investment Holdings Ltd (HIHL).

The interests in Hactl and HIHL were purchased by existing shareholders, namely Jardine Matheson & Co Ltd, The Wharf (Holdings) Ltd, Mosgen Ltd (a wholly owned subsidiary of Hutchison Whampoa Ltd), Hutchison Port Holdings Ltd and China National Aviation Corp (Group) Ltd. Currently, Jardine Matheson is Hactl’s largest shareholder, with a stake of 41.67 percent, while Hutchison Port Holdings and The Wharf (Holdings) each holds 20.83 percent, and the remaining 16.67 percent belongs to the China National Aviation Corp.

For 2014, Hactl’s total tonnage handled was up 8.7 percent. Exports increased by 6.7 percent, imports were up 10.3 percent while transshipments were up 28.6 percent and mail/express traffic grew 3.1 percent.

Hactl Chief Executive Mark Whitehead said: “This is a very pleasing result, with good increases in all areas of our business.

“Transshipments once again showed exceptional growth, fuelled both by increased road feeder activity by our subsidiary Hacis (Hong Kong Air Cargo Industry Services Ltd), and the continuing underlying development of Hong Kong as Asia’s preferred regional hub.”

British-born Whitehead studied law and economics at Nottingham University and then worked in London for five years as a lawyer before moving to Hong Kong in 1983.

He joined Jardine Matheson Group in 1987 as in-house legal counsel before moving to general management in 1990 and was appointed Hactl chief executive in September 2010.

He is married to a Hong Kong citizen and the pair have two adult children, both studying in the US.

A sailing enthusiast, Whitehead is the current Commodore of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (RHKYC), and has taken part in several local sailing regattas and blue water offshore regattas. He is actively involved via the RHKYC in the development of water sports in Hong Kong.

sophiehe@chinadailyhk.com