Network Aviation Group has named Hendrik Falk its new Vice President of the Americas, a move that hands one of the region's top air cargo sales jobs to a operator with more than 30 years across carriers, ACMI providers and charter brokerage.

Falk will work from Network's Atlanta office. He succeeds Paul Umpleby, who retires at the end of 2026 after leading the Americas operation.

The appointment is a statement of intent. Falk's résumé reads like a map of the air freight industry's biggest names: Lufthansa Cargo, Polar Air Cargo, World Airways, AirBridgeCargo, Swiss WorldCargo and Chapman Freeborn. That spread — legacy carrier, all-cargo operator, passenger freighter operator, Russian heavy-lift airline and the world's best-known charter broker — is exactly the toolkit a general sales and service agent needs when pitching Americas business.

Who is Hendrik Falk?

Falk brings more than three decades of international leadership experience spanning Europe, Asia and the Americas, according to the company's announcement. His background covers the three commercial pillars of air cargo: scheduled airline cargo, ACMI wet-leasing and charter brokerage.

Most recently, since 2023, he has run his own Atlanta-based consultancy, Altovolo Air Cargo Services, supporting global aviation-related projects. The consultancy stint means Falk arrives already embedded in the Atlanta market — the same city where Network bases its Americas operation.

That geography matters. Atlanta is Delta's hub and a growing Southeast logistics centre, and a VP who lives and works in the market, rather than flying in, signals continuity for US shippers and forwarders dealing with Network.

What does the change mean for shippers?

For Network's customers across the Americas, the practical read is continuity with an upgrade in carrier-side firepower. Umpleby's retirement at the end of 2026 was the forcing event; Falk's hire closes the gap before it opens.

Jonathan Clark, CEO of Network Aviation Group, framed the hire around expansion. He said: "With his comprehensive expertise across airlines, ACMI providers and charter brokerage, Hendrik's leadership will be a tremendous asset to Network Aviation Group as we continue to expand our business across the Americas. We extend a warm welcome to Hendrik and wish him every success in his new role."

The word "expand" is doing real work in that sentence. A VP hire with Falk's charter and ACMI background suggests Network sees growth in capacity sourcing and ad hoc lift — not just steady GSSA representation — as the Americas play.

Why the pedigree counts

Each stop on Falk's career carries weight in a specific segment:

• Lufthansa Cargo and Swiss WorldCargo — scheduled mainline cargo, network pricing and capacity management within the Lufthansa Group orbit
• Polar Air Cargo — the all-cargo operator long tied to Atlas Air and DHL's network strategy
• World Airways — US passenger and cargo charter flying, the ACMI world at its purest
• AirBridgeCargo — heavyweight 747 freighter operations on intercontinental lanes
• Chapman Freeborn — charter brokerage, the seat from which he knows the on-demand lift market best

Few executives in the region can claim hands-on senior roles across all three business models. For Network, that breadth means one relationship manager who can speak fluently to scheduled carriers, wet-lease providers and charter clients alike.

The handover timeline

Umpleby stays through the end of 2026, which gives the company a long runway for transition. Falk's start allows for an overlap period rather than a hard cut, and his Atlanta base removes relocation friction from the handover.

Network Aviation Group has not disclosed additional detail on the transition plan or on Falk's specific commercial targets for the region. The company's public framing keeps the focus on his expertise and the Americas growth agenda.

What comes next

Watch how quickly Falk's charter and ACMI connections translate into new capacity arrangements for Network's Americas clients — the CEO's own language points to expansion, and the new VP's career says he knows where the lift is.