Mr. Stephen Adjokatcher, President of the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF), has been elected, Vice President of the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA), the global body for Freight Forwarders.
The election took place at the National Convention Center in Hanoi, Vietnam, at the FIATA World Congress 2025, held from 6th to 10th October.
His election marks a significant milestone not only for Ghana but for the African freight forwarding community, as Mr. Adjokatcher brings decades of experience and leadership to the global logistics platform.
In stiff competition with 13 other candidates, Mr. Adjokatcheremerged victorious. Other countries who contested the vice presidency included, India, Italy, Columbia, Vietnam, Morocco, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Iran, Chinese Taipei and Egypt.
In his acceptance remarks, Mr. Adjokatcher expressed gratitude to the newly elected President, Thomas Sim from Singapore and the Director-General of FIATA, Mr. Stephane Graber for the confidence placed in him by FIATA’s member associations and reaffirmed his commitment to addressing the pressing challenges confronting the global logistics and transport sector.
“The world is experiencing rapid changes in supply chain dynamics, digitalization, and sustainability expectations. As Vice President, I am dedicated to collaborating with stakeholders worldwide to develop practical, future-oriented solutions,” he stated.
He added that “Together, we must ensure that the freight forwarding industry stays resilient, efficient, and inclusive amid global disruptions.”
Even before his election, Mr. Adjokatcher had already initiated measures aimed at connecting the Togolese Association, Union Professionnel Des Agrés en Douane du Togo (UPRAD TOGO) with FIATA. This has allowed the Togolese Freight Forwardersto access the benefits of the global organization.
An astute Freight Forwarder of several decades, Mr. Adjokatcher is also the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Santa Shipping Company.
The 2025 FIATA World Congress, under the theme, Green and Resilient Logistics, brought together more than 1000 leaders in the logistics and transport sectors from 100 countries across the world.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the congress after his election, Mr. Adjokatcher expressed gratitude to the delegates for the confidence reposed in him, promising to perform his duties diligently and to the best of his ability.
He thanked his colleagues from GIFF who went with him to the Congress for the support they gave him, which paved the way for his election.
Under his leadership at GIFF, Mr. Adjokatcher has been instrumental in driving regulatory reforms, capacity building, and the digital transformation of freight forwarding in Ghana. His international outlook and deep understanding of regional logistics challenges position him as a strong advocate for emerging economies within the global freight forwarding community.
For almost 100 years FIATA has been convening industry leaders and innovators in logistics at its flagship FIATA World Congress (FWC) to discuss industry challenges and trends, hear perspectives from top industry leaders and their solutions, and exchange and network with supply chain actors from different parts of the logistics industry from all around the world.
This annual event, which takes place around September and October, brings together around 700 to 1,000 participants from the logistics, transport, and cargo industries, as well as observers from other sectors and a number of institutional attendees.
FIATA, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, represents over 40,000 forwarding and logistics firms worldwide. Mr. Adjokatcher’s election signals a renewed commitment to broader regional representation and collaboration in shaping the future of global trade logistics.
