As the strategic significance of IAG Cargo’s global hub at London Heathrow continues to grow, so too does the need to deliver operational excellence and keep customer focus at the heart of everything we do.
To reinforce this mission, Josh Lane has been appointed to Director of London Operations, a role designed to enhance performance across our Heathrow hub operations.
With a strong background in transformation and engineering, Josh brings expertise in streamlining processes, improving service, and responding to the fast-changing demands of global air cargo logistics. In this interview, he shares how his journey has shaped his vision for our hub at Heathrow and how we’re continually innovating to meet the needs of our customers.
Can you tell us about your background at IAG Cargo and how it’s shaped your approach to this role?
My career began in engineering and transformation, including time at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Since joining IAG Cargo, I’ve held a range of leadership positions, from overseeing our global operations transformation programme to leading people and performance initiatives that have made a lasting impact.
As Head of Operations and People Transformation, I helped deliver key company-wide projects before moving into the Head of Operations for our original Premia facility. That led to one of the highlights of my career so far: launching and running New Premia, our state-of-the-art handling facility at Heathrow that opened in 2023.
Purpose-built for high-priority products like pharmaceuticals, New Premia has set new standards for speed, reliability, and capacity, driving a 30% productivity uplift and becoming a benchmark for premium service across our network.
These experiences gave me a deep understanding of our people, our processes, and where our greatest opportunities lie. That perspective is now central to everything I do as the Director of London Operations.
What does the Heathrow operation involve, and what will your new role deliver for customers?
More than 60% of our freight either starts, passes through, or ends its journey at our London Heathrow hub. The operation spans multiple sites, including New Premia, Ascentis, and our London Operations Control Centre.
We handle a wide range of goods at Heathrow, from temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals and fresh produce to high-value items and general cargo. Major trade routes include transatlantic services to the US, high-volume routes to India and the Middle East, and a growing presence across Asia-Pacific.
My new role is about bringing all parts of the Heathrow operation under a single strategic framework- aligning performance goals, breaking down silos, and ensuring every team works together to deliver a seamless, consistent service. Collaboration and customer focus must go hand-in-hand if we’re to meet rising expectations with both agility and excellence.
You led the development of New Premia. How has it transformed operations, and where are you seeing the biggest gains?
The opening of New Premia was a game-changer for us. Designed to meet the growing demand for premium and specialist cargo, it has redefined what’s possible in terms of speed, accuracy, and reliability. Its semi-automated environment and dedicated space for handling sensitive products like pharmaceuticals give us the precision and care our customers expect. It’s also created opportunities for third-party handling and serves as a model for modern cargo infrastructure.
What truly sets the facility apart is the dedication of the teams working behind the scenes. Their energy, pride, and commitment drive its success every day.
Efficiency has also improved, thanks to the implementation of a consistent performance management framework across Heathrow and closer alignment with our hubs in Madrid and Dublin. Real-time dashboards now give our teams instant visibility of key performance metrics, enabling us to make faster and smarter decisions.
These tools aren’t just about tracking progress; they help us actively improve how we deliver an exceptional service to customers. Looking ahead, we’ll continue to simplify performance reporting, build accountability, and create a culture of continuous improvement.
What are your priorities for keeping pace with a changing industry, and what message would you like to share with customers?
We operate in a constantly evolving industry, making adaptability essential. That’s why we’re accelerating the use of digital tools to enhance speed, accuracy, and transparency, while also looking into developing future skills through initiatives such as degree-level apprenticeships.
Working closely with our commercial and customer-facing teams also helps us stay aligned with shifting demand, while building resilience and sustainability into our operations ensures we remain a trusted partner in a fast-moving world.
A big focus for me is embedding a data-driven mindset across the operations. We’ve already made strong progress with real-time dashboards and performance tools, but the goal now is to use data not just to inform decisions, but to actively drive better outcomes for our customers.
Ultimately, it’s our people who make the difference. My priority is to empower them to exceed expectations, so that every customer experience is one we can be proud of.
Explore the destinations you can reach from our London Heathrow hub on our global network: https://www.iagcargo.com/en/network/
