Lessons in Air Cargo’s Digitization in 2026 with Glyn Hughes, TIACA
Unfiltered Freight Episode #9
Video
Guest:
Glyn Hughes
Executive Director, TIACA
Bio:
Glyn Hughes, Director General at TIACA Glyn is a 40 year air cargo veteran who has led global cargo at IATA and now heads TIACA. He is the industry leading advocate for modernization, sustainability, and cutting through the noise to get freight moving,
About the Episode
Glyn Hughes joins Eytan Buchman to explain why the “digital forwarder” is a myth and why the industry is stuck in a “PlayStation Trap.” They discuss why focusing on how technology works is actually preventing us from reaping the benefits. This is a no-nonsense look at why logistics professionals need to become “border scientists” to survive.
Key Insight:
Forwarders are Border Scientist
Embrace the Phigital Model As Ashwin Bhat from Lufthansa suggests, the future isn’t purely digital. Because cargo remains physical, the winners are those who blend digital transparency with physical execution. You cannot have one without the other.
The Rise of the Border Scientist The modern forwarder is no longer just a middleman. Between China+1 and USA+Multiple strategies, you need to navigate border management as a science. Complexity has gone off the charts and you need the expertise to match.
Stop Asking “How It Works” The biggest barrier to AI and API adoption is the obsession with the manual. To innovate, logistics leaders need to stop putting up artificial barriers and start focusing on the specific benefits and the “why” of new tools.
Darwinism is Coming for Your Margins With ocean rates fluctuating wildly and shippers demanding Amazon-level transparency for high-value shipments, the forwarders sticking to the “good old days” are facing a Darwinian exit. You must adapt to survive.
Previous Episode 8: 24 Months to Autonomous Procurement with Martin Polakovic, Lenovo
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