Joost van Doesburg has completed his first month working as director of business development & communication at Dubai-headquartered airport services provider dnata.
The new post follows van Doesburg’s unexpected exit from his role as head of cargo at Royal Schiphol Group at the beginning of February this year.
In a LinkedIn post on 2 April, van Doesburg said: "A month ago, I started my new role as director of business development & communication at dnata. It has been a fantastic start, and I’m excited to be part of such a dynamic and ambitious team.
“In the coming months, we will reach a major milestone with the opening of dnata Cargo City Amsterdam — a state-of-the-art facility that will further strengthen our capabilities in air cargo handling. I look forward to this exciting development and to contributing to dnata’s continued growth and success.”
He confirmed to Air Cargo News that he remains Amsterdam-based.
Schiphol Group announced that van Doesburg would leave his role as head of cargo in December.
Patricia Vitalis, executive director Schiphol operations, said at the time: “We respect his decision but deeply regret it, both for him and for Schiphol. Unjust defamatory allegations have been made against him, and business-related criticism of Schiphol has been made personal, resulting in media coverage."
Taking on the head of cargo role in March 2023, cargo volumes at Schiphol increased during van Doesburg’s tenure. At the same, he overhauled the Cargo Port Community system ‘Cargonaut’, plus initiated a process to reposition cargo within Schiphol, with a focus on sustainability and quality.
However, he faced a tough cargo landscape from the moment he took on the role, with Schiphol’s challenges pre-dating his arrival.
These challenges included a backlash over increased airline charges, plans to reduce flight numbers and scrutiny over emissions and noise.
Designed with a focus on sustainability, dnata Cargo City Amsterdam will be equipped with solar panels, electric vehicle charging stations and air source heat pumps. The cargo centre will also be BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) certified.
