Rosemarie Rafael, the chairperson of logistics company Airspeed, has learned over her 40-plus years of experience that life can sometimes tell you to switch lanes, whether it be in everyday situations or a career-altering path altogether. She fondly looks back on her early years as a passenger ticketing and reservations agent for an airline company, but also recalls facing many challenges along the way. One particular experience was when she went back to her desk in tears after being locked out from a meeting she was ten minutes late to. Her phone call with a client for the company ran longer than expected, and she found herself ‘not needed’ anymore in the meeting.
However, the future founder of logistics company Airspeed found herself presented with an opportunity that would soon lead her to an industry that she would lead one day. Years later, she rose through the ranks and ventured beyond her comfort zone. Setting out on her own, Ms. Rafael consulted her then-boss about her idea. Despite leaving the currently recognized number-one company by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), she believed that Airspeed had so much room for growth. Within five years of its founding, Airspeed eventually claimed the number one spot in the IATA ranking.
Ms. Rafael attributes this success to the relationships she built with her clients during the early stages that helped Airspeed thrive in the industry. From a startup with just six employees and a single delivery van, the company now has over a thousand skilled personnel and a fleet of vehicles that can be swiftly mobilized at more than 300-strong.
One of Ms. Rafael’s notable achievements is paving the way for women. Not only is she leading a successful business, but she has also established a formidable company in an industry that is commonly associated with the male demographic. Female leaders make up 70% of Airspeed’s top executives, and 45% of their middle-tier managers, showing Ms. Rafael’s dedication to empowering women to lead a company that highlights solutions-based decisions to drive further progress and innovation.
Ms. Rafael’s journey tells a story of vision, commitment, and persistence. Her first few jobs may not have been the best fit for her, but she did everything to the best of her abilities. When it was clear she wanted to change, she followed through with her dream and established her company, Airspeed. Her empowering leadership style has allowed women to thrive in Airspeed, making it a company of integrity and solutions-based decisions. “We prioritize our people and stakeholders. We believe that if we have happy people working for us, then we will have happy and satisfied customers,” Ms. Rafael said.
