A 28 year old employee of Dublin based company Hawthorn Logistics has been named as the overall winner in the Young International Freight Forwarder of Year 2011 competition. Silvia had previously been announced as the winner of the European sector of the award and was one of four finalists in competition for the award.
Silvia Valles Barrera (above, centre, with Andrew Kemp, TT Club to the left and FIATA President Jean Claude Delen to the right) represented Ireland and Europe in the final round of the competition held during the FIATA World Congress in Cairo, Egypt last week 17th – 21st October 2011. Silvia competed against the winners from the Africa & Middle East, Americas and Asia & Pacific regions.
Ms. Barrera, who is a native of Spain, has been employed by Hawthorn Logistics since September 2010 and is responsible for managing its clients’ needs to transport goods and products around the world.
Hawthorn Logistics is one of Ireland’s youngest but fastest growing freight forwarding companies providing global shipping to exporters and importers along with warehousing facilities and expertise for distributing product by courier, air, sea and road.
The awards competition, run by the International Freight Forwarders Association (FIATA), is open to candidates representing the countries and national freight associations in the four geographical regions into which it is divided.
Ms. Barrera was chosen to represent the Irish International Freight Association (IIFA) after she achieved distinction level in the FIATA Diploma in Freight Forwarding. The internationally recognized diploma course is validated by FIATA and delivered by the IIFA.
Each participant in the regional finals of the Young International Freight Forwarder of the Year 2011 awards had to prepare a thesis focusing on one key import and export commodity or cargo in their country.
The thesis was obliged to consider the complexity of the issues of importing and exporting including bulk cargo, time sensitive delivery, hazardous goods, multimodal moves as well as cross-border issues, regulatory issues and risk management.
Ms. Barrera’s thesis titled ‘The Medical and Pharmaceutical Industry in Ireland and its Challenges for the Freight Forwarder’ saw her qualify as a regional finalist at the FIATA World Congress in Cairo alongside competitors from the United Arab Emirates, Mexico and Hong Kong.
“Our members are delighted with Silvia’s success. Flexibility is the key to successful freight forwarding. That flexibility is only possible if you possess a thorough knowledge of all transport modal options and Silvia has proven that her skills and expertise are among the best in the business,” said Colm Walsh, CEO, of the Irish International Freight Association (IIFA).
