Meet our team

Nick Diesel, Managing Director - Cargo

Meet Nick, our Managing Director. Nick joined Virgin Atlantic in 2015 and has held various senior leadership roles, most recently as Vice President, Financial Planning, leading the team through post-pandemic recovery and setting a pathway to return to profitability.

With a background in strategy and operations consultancy, Nick has worked across high-profile projects at Virgin Atlantic, including as finance lead for the Expanded Joint Venture agreement with Delta & Air France-KLM.

Mark Faulkner, Head of - Cargo Distribution Technology and Alliances

Meet Mark, our Head of Cargo Distribution, Technology & Alliances. Mark joined Virgin Atlantic Cargo in 2023 from Etihad Cargo, where he held the position of Director West – Cargo Commercial. He brings extensive experience across revenue management, network and alliance management, and cargo commercial leadership. Mark also served as Interim Managing Director of Virgin Atlantic Cargo before Nick Diesel joined in November 2024..

In his current role, Mark leads our cargo distribution teams across Customer Services, digital platforms, and our website. He also oversees cargo technology, supporting the development of the systems and platforms that make our business run effectively, and help our customers access and book our services. Finally, Mark manages our Alliance and Joint Venture activity with our partners to expand and extend our cargo network beyond our core flying.

Ben Crump, Head of Cargo Operations

Meet Ben, our Head of Cargo Operations at Virgin Atlantic. Ben is responsible for overseeing all our operational and ULD activity across our global network.

With over 25 years of experience in cargo operations, Ben has played a key role in overseeing all aspects of operations across our stations, leading our global teams to achieve operational excellence across our network.

Ben has worked to support many high-profile initiatives, including cargo-only flying, charter flights, and disaster relief. These efforts have significantly contributed to the success and growth of our cargo operations, showcasing our ability to handle complex and demanding projects with ease. Ben's dedication to innovation and efficiency ensures that Virgin Atlantic's cargo operations remain at the forefront of the industry.

Steve Buckerfield, Head of Cargo Sales

Meet Steve, our Head of Cargo Sales. Steve joined Virgin Atlantic Cargo in 2016 from Toll Global Forwarding where he held the position of Managing Director for the UK & Ireland.

With a wealth of experience in air cargo and international logistics, and a background in both airline and freight forwarding, he is a natural relationship builder, helping to lead our global sales teams, and driving success for both our business and our customers.

Paulo Gomes, Head of - Cargo Commercial and Excellence

Meet Paulo, our Head of Cargo Commercial & Excellence. With a background in strategy and operations consulting, Paulo has held a range of roles since joining Virgin Atlantic Cargo in 2016. Most recently, he led our Revenue Optimisation team, playing a key role in defining and delivering our commercial strategy. In his current role, Paulo oversees all Commercial & Excellence activities, including strategy, planning, commercial development, revenue optimisation, reporting and continuous improvement.

Ryan Ellis, Senior Manager - Global Sales

Meet Ryan, our Senior Manager – Global Sales. Ryan joined Virgin Atlantic Cargo in 2010 as an Account Manager in the UK and has since held various management roles at both regional and global level.

As Senior Manager Global Sales, Ryan plays a key role in shaping the cargo sales strategy, fostering key relationships and driving customer preference.

Most recently, Ryan has lead the transition of our GSSA presence in Continental Europe with the successful completion of our partnership with TCE by ECS group.