Throughout March, in honor of International Women's Day (March 8), we are celebrating some of the remarkable women at JAS. Today, we are honored to highlight Andrea Goeman, SVP Sustainability at JAS Worldwide.

What advice would you give your younger self?

I would advise my younger self to believe in yourself and be confident: Don’t let others opinions define who you are. Take them into consideration, make some adjustments and go for it.

How have female mentors/role models influenced your career?

I was lucky to work with amazing male and female colleagues in all stages of my career and believe that a respectful and open-minded work environment inspired me most. The book of former PepsiCo’s CEO Indra Nooyi “My Life in Full, Work, Familiy and our Future” is a great read about how purposeful leadership can drive corporate transformation forward.” Working with many inspiring women at JAS, I am already impressed by the openness and diversity of our organization; and the results we can achieve together.

What achievement are you most proud of while working at JAS?

Leading sustainability at JAS allows me to work with logistics experts from different cultures, regions and functions. In my first months, I experienced great commitment, work ethics and openness to new ideas, from our frontline workers to the management board. People really make the difference - I am proud to be part of the team.

How do you #EmbraceEquity?

Embracing Equity is not a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have. Diversity, Equality and Inclusion are driving both my personal and professional life. I am personally convinced that diverse teams perform better and bring value and growth to every company.

In your opinion, why is it important that more women pursue careers in the industry in the future?

The right time for women to pursue a career in logistics is now: With the growing importance of supply chain management, our sector is driving growth, innovations and sustainability transformation forward. Opportunities in the industry will continue to grow: The demand for analytical thinkers and innovative problem-solvers in freight forwarding is rising.

Throughout March, in honor of International Women's Day(March 8), we are celebrating some of the remarkable women at JAS. Today, we are honored to highlight Maria Paula Eslava, Managing Director, at JAS Colombia.

What advice would you give your younger self?

“I would tell my younger self to be fearless and to worry less about what people think of you. Be confident in your capabilities and open to learning new things every day. Believe in your power.”

How have female mentors/role models influenced your career?

“Sheryl Sandberg former Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, wrote a great book called “Lean In.” It is a very inspiring piece of work that every female leader needs to read.”

What achievement are you most proud of while working at JAS?

“I began my career at JAS as a Country Operations Manager. Over the years, I found a way to respectfully open doors, and I became the first female Managing Director at JAS. I am proud to be leading my country and making it a successful subsidiary by building a winning team on the local level and helping the company grow within the market.”

Throughout March, in honor of International Women's Day (March 8), we are celebrating some of the remarkable women at JAS. Today, we are honored to highlight Ewa Osowska, Sales Manger, JAS Poland.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Don't change anything. Be stubborn, be ambitious, and be committed. Lessons from failures can be a key to success in the future. Continue keeping your promises because trust builds business relationships that matter.

From the very beginning, I have treated work as a long-term journey. I like to learn and set ambitious goals for myself. I also like being open-minded and innovative. 

When I started in November 2003 as an Airfreight Forwarder Assistant, I didn't know I would stay in the industry for the next 20 years. However, I am very happy with this choice right now. Over the years, I have had a chance to delve into the ins and outs of air freight, as well as ocean, road, and rail freight, and even contract logistics. 

What achievement are you most proud of while working at JAS?

In February 2022, the eyes of the world were watching the dramatic scenes of the Russian attack on Ukraine. Poland, as a country with a direct border to Ukraine, has naturally become one of the major countries on the logistics map for building alternative supply chains for food, medications, medical kits, and all the other important equipment.

Thanks to JAS' global experience in Aid & Relief solutions, the United Nations has asked JAS to help support humanitarian efforts in Poland, a region where JAS recently expanded. Together with my colleague Salvatore Lauro, VP Regional Manager Center and South for Italy, we quickly created dedicated solutions so aid could be delivered despite the challenging situation. As a result, we were able to make food deliveries from the very beginning. I am proud of being part of it because it matters not only to me, not only to the company but to the Ukrainian people. 

How do you #Embrace Equality? 

It is a good question because, at JAS, people make the difference, regardless of gender, skin colour, or origin. I have not even thought about embracing equality, because it is already what I naturally do every day.  

JAS Worldwide is pleased to share that Bjoern Wiede has been promoted to Vice President of Global Account Management.

Bjoern has been in the logistics industry for over 25 years. He began his apprenticeship in Germany, then moved to the United States in 2003. Before joining JAS in 2016, he worked in various roles within the logistics industry, including: Operations, Tender, Key Account, and Trade Lane.

Upon joining JAS, Bjoern took on the role of Trade Lane Director for Germany/EMEA and supported the Automotive Vertical for NORAM. In 2021 he moved into the Account Management Regional Director Role, where he was an invaluable member of the team helping to set up the new structure and program deliverables.

In his new role, Bjoern will continue to drive JAS’ account management to provide best-in-class customer service and solution-driven relationship management.

About JAS Worldwide
JAS was founded in 1978 in Milan, Italy, and its global headquarters is located in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Over the last four decades, JAS has grown from regional roots to a global force in logistics covering all modes of transportation, including contract logistics and other sophisticated and digital-driven supply chain solutions. Today, JAS covers 100+ countries with over 7000 employees globally and continues to expand with its core culture, “People make the difference,” and its strong commitment to a sustainable future.

The JAS Worldwide Ocean Freight team is pleased to share Jesper Jepsen has been promoted to Vice President, Global Ocean Freight Operations.

Jesper joined JAS in 2019 as Head of LCL & Consolidation Services as part of the USA team. In 2021 he joined the Americas Region as Ocean Services Director.

In his new role, Jesper will focus on leading the collaboration efforts connecting global product and operations, working closely with neighboring internal departments and outside vendors. Furthermore, in his position, he will lead the strategic, operational management roadmap for Ocean Freight Hubs and Capacity Management Teams.

About JAS Worldwide

JAS was founded in 1978 in Milan, Italy, and its global headquarters is located in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Over the last four decades, JAS has grown from regional roots to a global force in logistics covering all modes of transportation, including contract logistics and other sophisticated and digital-driven supply chain solutions. Today, JAS covers 100+ countries with over 7,000 employees globally and continues to expand with its core culture, “People make the difference.”

JAS Worldwide is pleased to announce that, effective 1 February 2023, Andrea Goeman has been appointed Senior Vice President Sustainability, reporting directly to Graeme Robinson, Chief Operations Officer. 

Ms. Goeman has over 20 years of experience in international logistics and freight forwarding and has worked in green logistics since 2008. Prior to joining JAS, she led the sustainability function as VP Sustainability Portfolio Management at DB Schenker in Essen, Germany.  

“Sustainability is an important focus area for JAS that will create value and sustainable growth for our organization. For nearly 45 years, we've been helping global customers with market-leading logistics solutions and are committed to creating a sustainable future with our customers and partners,” said Robinson. 

Developing and implementing resilient and sustainable supply chain solutions is a top priority for our customers, and JAS is in a strategic position to contribute towards achieving their climate targets.

Building on Ms. Goemans’ experience in green logistics operations and strategy, this move enhances JAS’ commitment to take on its share of responsibility for the future of logistics and of our planet. This transformation includes not only climate-related topics but also all ESG-related topics, such as governance, data transparency, social responsibility, and human rights.

About JAS Worldwide‍

JAS was founded in 1978 in Milan, Italy, and its global headquarters is located in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Over the last four decades, JAS has grown from regional roots to a global force in logistics covering all modes of transportation, including contract logistics and other sophisticated and digital-driven supply chain solutions. Today, JAS covers 100+ countries with over 7000 employees globally and continues to expand with its core culture, “People make the difference,” and its strong commitment to a sustainable future. 

Shivanand (“Shiva”) Gopal joins JAS as Legal Counsel, effective January 16, 2023. He will be based in Singapore. Shiva comes to JAS from UPS, where he has spent the past five years as its South Pacific District Attorney, handling legal matters in several countries within the APAC region. His responsibilities included:

• Negotiating customer and vendor contracts.
• Assisting in compliance investigations.
• Acting as risk management coordinator for the South Pacific District.

He received his Bachelor of Laws degree from The University of Nottingham in 2011. Shiva spent six years with the Oon & Bazul LLP law firm, working in the Shipping and Commercial Litigation Department. At Oon & Bazul, he advised and acted for major P&I Clubs, H&M Insurers, and bunker suppliers. Shiva also handled various maritime and marine collision claims and goods/bills of lading disputes.

Our people truly do make the difference, and we believe Shiva will be a great addition to the JAS legal team!

JAS Worldwide is pleased to announce that Shawn Shackelford has been appointed Vice President Global Customer Solutions, globally leading the JAS Customer Solutions group. With a strong technical background coupled with excellent customer interaction abilities and collaborative leadership skills, Shawn previously led JAS Customer Solutions for the Americas region.

JAS Customer Solutions enables the JAS sales and account management teams to expand their relationship with existing customers, as well as bring on new clients who require sophisticated supply chain solutions across all modes of transportation including customs clearance and contract logistics.

Shawn will lead the direction and strategy of all regional and subsidiary customer solutions functions within JAS, reporting directly to David Bang, Chief Commercial Officer.

“Working closely with regions and subsidiaries as well as IT, Products, and all Commercial functions, Shawn will also further strengthen the unity and cooperation of all Customer Solutions activities in regions and subsidiaries,” said Bang.