The International Air Cargo Association is to induct John Raven into its Hall of Fame at a special gala dinner in Moscow on 24th May.
John Raven, passed away at the age of 91 in November. He dedicated his career to trade facilitation. He headed the British Coal Exporters Association, and in 1968 the UK Board of Trade asked him to set up an expert committee tasked with looking at procedural, regulatory and documentary hindrances to UK international trade.
Two years later, he became Chief Executive of the UK Committee for the Simplification of International Trade Procedures (SITPRO) and its recommendation report published in 1970 represented the start of international trade’s discussion and drive for facilitation.
In the 1980s and 1990s, he worked on behalf of the fast-growing express and courier sector, representing the industry at the World Bank, United Nations’ Development Program, and World Customs Organization. He became director of the International Express Carriers Conference (IECC), whose members include UPS, FedEx, TNT and DHL, and more heavily engaged in WCO matters.
During this time, the express industry was particularly influential in helping the US and Canadian Customs support the production of the WCO Immediate Release Guidelines, and took a keen interest in work on the revised WCO Kyoto Convention on the simplification and harmonization of customs procedures resulting in 1999 with a new and significantly improved text.
For the last ten years, John was TIACA’s representative in Brussels providing industry input and support for the development of the post-9/11 WCO SAFE Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Trade, the Data Model, Unique Consignment Reference (UCR), and capacity building for developing countries’ customs operations.
TIACA is also inducting Ray Crane, former chief executive of Air Cargo Media, into the Hall of Fame. He is also a former Board Member and Trustee of TIACA.
