DHL has announced the appointment of Troy Shortell as senior vice president, DHL Global Customer Solutions (GCS) for the Asia Pacific region, with immediate effect. GCS is the industry-first customer management unit that was established in 2004 to manage DHL's top global customers.

Based in Singapore, Shortell reports to GCS' CEO, Rolf Habben Jansen. He succeeds Florence Noblot, who has since moved to France as managing director of DHL Express International. In this role, Shortell will lead and drive the strategic growth of the GCS business unit in the Asia Pacific region, which coordinates all of DHL's express, air freight, and ocean services.

Shortell joined DHL in 1993, and previously held the position of senior vice president, head of strategy for DHL Global Forwarding in Asia Pacific. In his previous role, he initiated regional strategic programs to drive organic growth. He also played a key role in the integration of the former DHL Danzas Air & Ocean and Exel Multi-national sales teams in Asia Pacific.

The Transmile Group Bhd has redesignated non-executive director Liu Tai Shin as managing director to replace outgoing Wong Yoke Ming, the company said recently. It is believed Wong's resignation is a signal that the restructuring scheme at the troubled air cargo freight forwarder is almost completed.

Liu and Wong joined Transmile in June last year as part of a new team brought in to tackle the huge financial problem that arose from the discovery of massive accounting frauds over a three-year period.

Both men are accountants by training and, together with the new management, were tasked with reviving the ailing firm.

The Boeing Company has named Paul Kinscherff president of Boeing Middle East, to be based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Kinscherff will report to Shep Hill, president, Boeing International.

Kinscherff , 49, will work with Boeing Saudi Arabia president Ahmed Jazzar to strengthen Boeing's presence across the region and support its growth there, the group said. Since late 2003, Kinscherff has been Boeing's treasurer, overseeing financing, banking, insurance, pension investment, and global treasury operations.

"Paul's intimate knowledge of Boeing's businesses and global financial markets will help us capitalize on the emerging opportunities in this vital region," Hill said. "His appointment underlies our commitment to the Middle East and the importance of that region to our global growth plans."

Boeing named David Dohnalek, 49, to succeed Kinscherff as treasurer. Kinscherff joined Boeing in 1999 from Lockheed Martin Corp., where he held a number of positions including director of corporate finance.

Ras Al Khaimah (United Arab Emirates)- based Rak Global Logistics (RGL) has recently announced the appointment of Albert Soliman as deputy general manager. Soliman previously worked as the Executive Manager for Jets Transport Express, a national road feeder company servicing major airlines. Solimanfirst beganhis career with Australian Airlines.

Soliman recently relocated from Australia to the UAE after working in the aviation/freight forwarding industry for the past 16 years, acquiring solid corporate and business development experience from multinational companies. He will assume day-to-day oversight for RGL and reports to CEO of Rak Global Logistics - Ven Govinda, who is also the advisor in logistics & maritime to H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qassimi - the Crown Prince& Deputy Ruler of the emirate.

John Coates has joined the NORDAM Group's Repair Division as vice president and general manager. Coates will be responsible for repair operations, programme management, scheduling, planning, and report to Meredith Siegfried, vice president of global sales and North American MRO operations.

"John is exactly what our team needs to ensure our continued progress and lead us into the future," said Siegfried. "At the same time, John identifies with, and will promote, the unique culture that we are so proud of here at NORDAM."

Lufthansa Cargo's executive board has appointed Alexander Pluemacher as managing director of Jettainer GmbH. He succeeds Dr Mohammed Seiraffi , who is to take over the function of manager handling Germany at Lufthansa Cargo.

His predecessor, Dr Seiraffi , will take up the newly-created function of manager handling Germany and will thus be responsible for freight handling at all German stations with the exception of Frankfurt. He will be based in Leipzig. On behalf of the executive board, Dr Seiraffi will also be responsible for the strategic development of the Munich and Leipzig hubs. In Leipzig, in addition, he will handle the coordination tasks with respect to AeroLogic. Th e freight airline AeroLogic is a joint venture of DHL Express and Lufthansa Cargo. It will start operations in April 2009 from Leipzig/Halle airport.

Great Wall Airlines has appointed Captain Yeap Fock Hoong as senior vicepresident operations. Yeap joins Great Wall from Singapore Airlines. His primary responsibilities include the supervision of programmes to develop an effective, capable and self-motivated pilot force for the Great Wall fleet, communication of organisational matters to all levels of flight operations management, introduction of change management, ensuring the highest safety standard of operations and maximising the efficient use of the company¡¯s fleet through efficient integration of schedules and maintenance.