cargo.one:one returns with a guest whose surname carries a century of history. Estefania Swarovski, Vice President of Ocean Procurement at the Swiss forwarder Fracht Group, is the great-great-granddaughter of Daniel Swarovski, founder of the Austrian crystal house. But her very own name in the industry was built steadily from over 20 years in transport and ocean freight roles.
For us, Estefania retraces that exciting path and shares her passion for shipping, her early learnings from a mentor, how she analyzes volatile markets every day, why relationships alone no longer win shipments, and what AI is already changing in ocean forwarding.
Shipping was in the family long before Estefania made it her career. Her mother opened MSC's first office in Argentina, and she grew up surrounded by MSC staff and talk of the business. Even so, she never planned that career: “Life just happened and here I am after 20 years.” Her path into ocean forwarding would be anything but linear.
Estefania started at MSC Cruises, aged 22, in a sales and marketing role. A commercial manager would soon become a valuable mentor, teaching her negotiation and how to deal with difficult scenarios. A move to Geneva saw her move into MSC's container business as a cost control supervisor, a role that let her “dive deep into every single cost" and learn everything that happens in the operation of a container vessel.
Estefania recalls the realization that freight was her calling. She admits: “As I always say to newcomers, once you start working in logistics, you know after a few days only if you love it or not. And it seems that I'm passionate about it.”
Enjoy the full length episode, here:
Choosing logistics, twice
In 2010, Estefania took a detour into Geneva’s famous private banking industry. She learned a lot about finance that remains helpful in her personal life, but the banking world was unfulfilling: “I didn't like what I was doing.” Living across the street from the Cargill office was a happy omen, and she made the move on her own terms: “Now if I'm gonna change, I will go somewhere where I really choose.”
Cargill, widely regarded as the ‘university of trading’ in Geneva, invested heavily in developing its people, and Estefania took every opportunity. Starting in coal and petroleum, she soon moved into the sugar business unit and returned to containers, working across Thailand, India, and Central America. Surrounded by traders from around the world, she “built the knowledge” and skills around market analysis and prediction that she now leverages every day – reading crops, weather, demand, geopolitics, and news to form a view of what comes next.
“I'm always looking not only for freight rates, but what's all around freight rates and what may impact them…what will be the next top trade lane and where I need to negotiate first.” Estefania Swarovski
Since the pandemic, that instinct has been tested against a market that swings hard and fast. Carriers went from struggling financially to protecting margins and posting record profits. Estefania underlines how specific triggers matter less than the pattern behind them: “Maybe you will not foresee what's the next move. But you know that as soon as something happens, this market will rocket high.”
Estefania aims to stay informed, “ahead of the market”, and follow “what will be the next top trade lane and where I need to negotiate first...what's next: India, Southeast Asia, North-South.” Crafting solutions between the carrier and the customer, she speaks both languages and understands how to create maximum synergies and value as a forwarder. Staying flexible and close to the customer is key: “Today relationships are no longer enough. Everybody has access to the same carriers."
“Being responsive, proactive, transparent, and being there like a partner, that's what makes a difference with customers.” Estefania Swarovski
The post-pandemic era reset what customers expect from an ocean forwarder: “Today we not only need to move their cargo and give them good rates, we need to help them make good decisions”, she says. “The ones that lose more money are the ones reluctant to change.”
Handling a steady stream of disruption is its own discipline that Estefania handles every day, learning early on how to “stay very cold in a fire.” She reflects: “Many times I joke saying that my job is to be a firefighter. When things can go wrong, they'll go wrong in logistics, and that's what makes our job really fun.”
The biggest transformation
Digitalization has already evolved many aspects of Estefania’s work in recent years. On the customer side, she notes that greater operational visibility is the gain she values most, with a reliable view on where a shipment is around the clock. On the procurement side, data analysis now enables her to swiftly compare rates, transit times and measures of carrier performance like never before.
Estefania is energized by the potentials that AI brings to enhance forwarding, automating the repetitive work so her teams can spend their time on intelligence and analysis: “If you use AI smartly, you can empower your teams to go much further.” She points to how release from the administrative burden will enable forwarders to focus on customer relationships and revenue growth. However, Estefania reminds us about what makes her job enjoyable: “We don't want to talk to machines only.”
“AI is absolutely the biggest transformation I've seen during my career. The most exciting thing is that you don't need to be an expert in IT to use it." Estefania Swarovski
As a successful builder of high-performance teams, Estefania explains that she looks foremost for the right attitude, pairing experts from the carrier side with young talent she can frame and teach. She credits great mentors over the years, and is passionate about attracting and facilitating more new talent into the industry. She advises young forwarders to always: “Stay curious, think big, trust yourself.”
Estefania’s advice is ultimately the perfect summary of the rigours and joys of a life in ocean forwarding: “This industry changes every single day, so do not take things for granted and be open to learning every single day of your life.” Estefania is a perfect role model for how passion, dedication, curiosity and care in the industry will lead to endless opportunities.
Want to hear about the craziest project cargo Estefania’s team has handled? Tune into Episode 19 now to find out! 🤩
cargo.one:one features many more exciting guests in the series. If you enjoyed this episode, stay tuned to our blog or subscribe using your favorite podcast platform including Spotify, Apple podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Castbox and more.
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