Avianca cargo chief Gabriel Oliva adds COO role

Avianca’s cargo chief, Gabriel Oliva, (pictured) has taken on the additional role of chief operating officer for the carrier in a management shake-up seen as a boost to the importance of cargo.

Mr Oliva will lead maintenance, safety, network and ground operations, as well as service delivery, airports and crew – while also transforming the cargo business.

He takes on the COO role from Frederico Pedreira, who has held it since 2021 and now becomes deputy CEO, in charge of areas including operations, talent and technology.

CEO Adrian Neuhauser said the pair were a “fundamental part of the team” which has helped, among other things, to “reinvent cargo operations”.

Mr Oliva joined Avianca in 2021 and “put it back on the map as a competitor ready to grow”, according to the airline.

“He also implemented an aggressive fleet plan to incorporate more A330 PTFs and moved forward with highly complex projects, such as the approval of the commercial cooperation agreement between Tampa Cargo and Aerounion.”