Nathalie Comble
Zaventem
Summary
Project and Process Improvement Manager – Airline and Airport Operations 20+ years’ experience in international air freight transportation, airline and airport operations, air network planning driving cross-functional initiatives to improve operational efficiency, enhance customer experience, and deliver cost savings. Very experienced in analysing performance data, identifying bottlenecks, and implementing sustainable process improvements in complex operational environments. Strong knowledge of airport operations, ground handling processes, hub design and aircraft flow optimization, gained at FedEx hubs. Proficient in project management, change management, and stakeholder engagement across functions and regions. Aeronautical Engineer (ESTACA) with MBA-equivalent (IAE Panthéon-Sorbonne). Practitioner of Quality and SAFe Agile methodologies.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Freelance Consultant
Self-employed
07.2025
- Working for an airline on a network optimisation software development, applying expertise in air network planning and operational efficiency
Project Manager
FedEx Belgium, Air Network
01.2016 - 05.2025
- Designed and implemented intercontinental air network business cases (widebody airliners)
- Responsible for Pan-European and intercontinental flights planning (widebody, narrowbody, regional jets), balancing operational efficiency with commercial requirements.
- Led cross-functional initiatives to optimize aircraft flow, parcel routing, and data processes, ensuring service continuity across regions.
Planner
FedEx Belgium, Air Network
01.2007 - 01.2015
- Coordinated and published monthly flight schedules and slots flight plans for FedEx’s EMEA air network (c. 700 flights per week, including seasonal changes, holidays, runway closures, night slots, etc…). Close collaboration with FedEx Operations Control Center.
- Led network capacity and optimization cross-functional processes for the Intra-Europe and Intercontinental air network, working closely with the revenue management and finance teams
- Represented FedEx EMEA at IATA Slot Conferences, influencing key scheduling decisions.
Senior Engineer, Airport Operations
FedEx Germany
01.2003 - 01.2007
- Developed functional specifications for the design and construction of the new FedEx Germany hub at the Cologne Bonn airport (CGN), and assessed the capital investment justification for the CGN Hub project
- Led sort and ramp process improvement initiatives at the FedEx German gateways
Auditor, Internal Operations
FedEx France
01.2001 - 01.2003
- Conducted operational and data-flow audits at the FedEx European Hub (CDG) to identify performance gaps
- Led continuous improvement cross-functional initiatives which involved establishing KPIs, recommending action plans and reviewing periodic performance scorecards
Industrial Engineer, Ground Operations
FedEx France
01.1996 - 01.2000
- Engineered ground operations processes, focusing on optimisation, modelling, and resource planning.
- Developed and implemented customer operating plans ensuring customer satisfaction
- Implemented the Courier Route Planner solution
Education
DEFC - Financial Management and Legal Affairs
CNAM/INTEC
01.2006
DESTO - Strategy and Change Management
CNAM
01.2001
DESS CAAE (MBA) - undefined
IAE Panthéon-Sorbonne
01.1997
Aeronautical Engineering Degree - undefined
ESTACA
01.1996
Skills
- Project management: Leading complex projects
- Achieving cost savings
- Change management
- Delivering business value
- SAFe Agile
- Process Optimization: Aircraft and airport process improvement
- Service deployments
- Optimization initiatives
- KPI design
- Data-driven decision-making
- Audits and performance: Airport and ground operations audits
- Identifying gaps
- Action plan implementation
- Performance scorecards
- Continuous improvement
- Planning and analysis: Assessing business cases
- Developing customer operating plans
- Resources planning
- Developing functional specifications
- Ensuring service continuity
- Modelling
- Scheduling
- Leadership: Cross-functional collaboration
- Stakeholder management
- Industry representation
- Communication
- MS Office, Visio, Power BI
Certification
SAFe g Agilist, SAFe 6 Practioner, SAFe 6 Product Owner/Product Manager, SAFe 6 DevOps
Languages
Native French, fluent English and German, intermediate Dutch (A2)
Timeline
Freelance Consultant
Self-employed
07.2025
Project Manager
FedEx Belgium, Air Network
01.2016 - 05.2025
Planner
FedEx Belgium, Air Network
01.2007 - 01.2015
Senior Engineer, Airport Operations
FedEx Germany
01.2003 - 01.2007
Auditor, Internal Operations
FedEx France
01.2001 - 01.2003
Industrial Engineer, Ground Operations
FedEx France
01.1996 - 01.2000
DESTO - Strategy and Change Management
CNAM
DESS CAAE (MBA) - undefined
IAE Panthéon-Sorbonne
Aeronautical Engineering Degree - undefined
ESTACA
DEFC - Financial Management and Legal Affairs
CNAM/INTEC
Hobbies and Interests
Travel, photography, arts & craft, architecture