From a window washer to the Globe & Mail Report on Business Top CEO “2020 Strategist of the Year”, Dr. Ajay Virmani is a quintessential immigrant success story. Dr. Virmani has been awarded Entrepreneur of the Year, by RBC and E&Y. Dr. Virmani founded Cargojet from the ashes of the bankruptcy of Canada 3000 and has taken Cargojet to become Canada’s most awarded cargo airline. With a $3 Billion market cap, Cargojet has been featured for a second year in a row in the Top 10 on the TSX30 program, launched in 2019, which recognizes the 30-top performing TSX stocks over three years. In less than 20 years Dr. Virmani has overseen the growth of Cargojet from a start-up to Canada’s largest overnight air cargo airline, which flies to over 16 Canadian cities each night, serves Latin America, Europe, and Asia through scheduled service and has emerged as the largest enabler of next-day e-commerce in Canada. Today Cargojet employs a team of over 1200 and ships over 40 million pounds of time-sensitive essentials every week while operating a fleet of 30 Boeing freighter aircraft. Cargojet has recently completed over 125 flights to China to bring in the much needed PPE supplies for Canadians and donated several flights to Lebanon for much needed aid to help with the present crisis.
Cargojet is continually recognized for its leadership in customer and team excellence winning numerous awards for innovation, corporate social responsibility and diversity including Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies, Air Cargo World Excellence Award, Carrier of Choice Award by Shippers’ Choice Award (18 years running), and Outstanding Business Achievement Award by Ontario Chamber of Commerce.
Dr. Virmani is a long-time philanthropist through the Virmani Family Foundation and the Cargojet Foundation which have supported numerous initiatives in healthcare and arts. Cargojet Foundation recently committed 2.5 Million Dollars to healthcare initiatives and social justice causes. Dr. Virmani was instrumental in the launch of Uthe niversity Health Network (UHN) Diwali Gala in 2011 which has since raised $9.6 million for programs at UHN. He has generously supported The Sick Kids Hospital and the Trillium Health Network. Dr. Virmani holds a special place in his heart for the Arts community and has served on numerous arts organizations including the Canadian Screen Awards. Dr. Virmani believes that Arts is a great unifier of diverse communities in Canada.
Dr. Virmani has over 40 years of leadership experience in the Logistics and Supply Chain industry. Dr. Virmani served as Senior Vice President of Cottrell Transport Inc. from 1977 to 1990 when he left Cottrell to form Commercial Transport International (Canada) Ltd. In 1992, CTI acquired Fastair Cargo Systems Ltd. Dr. Virmani led the company as the largest Logistics provider in Canada as Founder and CEO from 1990 to 2000 when it was merged with a public company.
Dr. Virmani has served on the Boards of Export Development Canada (EDC), York University, and Canadian Motion Pictures Screen Awards.
Dr. Virmani earned his MBA from City University in New York in 1985 and has been honoured with a Doctor of Laws from the University of Windsor. Dr. Virmani is married with two children.
