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Former Orewa College student Swan-Lynn Lee has stepped in to her uncle’s shoes to become the new head of Freightlink, based on the Hibiscus Coast.
Established in 1993 by Larry Roach, the company specialises in handling commercial container freight from Asia and Europe.
“Good logistics management can make or break a small business in New Zealand, so monitoring every order and identifying potential delays is an essential part of our service,” Swan-Lynn says. “I started learning the ropes in 2016 and since then, I’ve come to appreciate how complex the freight industry is and what high stakes are at play. People tie up huge amounts of investment in product that takes four to eight weeks to arrive, so the fact that we personally look out for hiccups or delays, and act to mitigate those, can have a massive effect on our customer’s ability to meet their commitments.”
Auckland is NZ’s second largest port and processes about 950,000 containers a year (averaging around 18,000 a week).
Swan-Lynn says it has been invaluable to have her uncle continue in an advisory role, and to be able to draw on his 40 years freight forwarding experience and knowledge.
However, she is no stranger to the business world.
She studied marketing and business at University of Auckland, did an MBA in the United States, and worked in a sales and marketing role at Microsoft in New Zealand before joining Freightlink.
“My dream was always to be a consultant for an international corporate, but I actually find it far more rewarding to get to know customers on a more personal basis. Many of our clients have been with us since we started, which is testimony to the fact that we understand their businesses and can act in their best interests in terms of urgency and lowest cost options.
“You become very invested in your customer’s success and it’s very rewarding to know that what we do has a real impact on the profitability of those businesses.”
Swan-Lynn welcomes enquiries from anyone who is thinking of starting a business or expanding their current operation, who might need import advice.
“Years of experience means we are able to effectively guide our clients through all stages of the importing process.”
