The International Aviation Handlers Association (IAHA) has lauded the immense contribution of the Former Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company PLC (nahco aviance) towards the development of the ground handling business in Nigeria.

Disclosing this  during the election of Mr. Bates into the association’s Board, Chairman of the IAHA Mr. Samim Aydin said that Mr. Bates was elected into IAHA to support and co-ordinate IAHA’s activities in the Central Africa Sub_Region otherwise known as African Chapter.

He pointed out that Bates’ election was based on his immense contributions towards improving ground handling business in Central Africa and Nigeria in particular.

“The Board is aiming to boost IAHA to become a stronger voice in the aviation industry and to have a much wider membership base. We will also intensify our cooperation with IATA in various areas and build a strong link to interact with the ACI. the Board has held a two-day strategic meeting in Frankfurt, Germany on 20-21 January 2011 where it resolved to re-brand IAHA, review its value proposition and also safety management systems” Aydin said.

Mr. Sule was the MD/CEO of nahco aviance from 23rd February 2005 to 12th November, 2010 when he voluntarily resigned. During his tenure, the Company passed through three major phases (transition and change of status from a Government company to a fully privatized company (PLC), resulting in its listing on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in November 2006; the 2008 re_structuring and re_positioning exercise and the 2010 Transformation Agenda.

In the course of these three phases, some of the major milestones of his tenure include the significant improvement in the company’s operating results whereby turnover increased from N3b in 2005 to over N6b in 2009, and profit after tax from N300million to N1.2b during the same period.

Under Sule, nacho aviance’s stock became one of the high performing stocks in the capital market. In 2007, it yielded over 1000% capital appreciation to investors. The Company’s hybrid share offer in September 2007 was subscribed by 678%, and the Company capped its 2007 capital market performance with the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) President’s Merit Award.

Nahco aviance also gained global recognition with its admittance into aviance (Aviation Alliance), the first ever international alliance of reputable ground handling companies and airport service providers in the world.

He also obtained Customs license for the Company’s bonded warehouses in Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt; he achieved the re-branding.