Adam Kokas is Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Atlas Air Worldwide and its operating subsidiaries, Atlas Air and Polar Air Cargo Worldwide (a joint venture airline with DHL Express).
The Atlas Air Worldwide companies (Atlas Air, Inc., Polar Air Cargo and its leasing company, Titan Aviation Holdings, Inc.) serve the e-commerce, express and general air freight markets in more than 400 destinations in 90 countries and are a major supplier to Alibaba, Amazon, DHL Express, FedEx, HP, Inditex, Kuehne+Nagel, NCA, Qantas, SF Express, UPS and the U.S. military. Together, they operate the world’s largest fleet of 747 freighter aircraft and provide customers the broadest array of Boeing 747, 777, 767 and 737 aircraft and complementary aviation services. Atlas is the world’s second-largest airfreight operator measured by freight tonne kilometers (FTKs).
Adam is responsible for the Company’s legal matters, regulatory affairs and compliance, and oversees the Company’s government affairs function. He joined AAWW as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary in 2006. He was appointed Executive Vice President in January 2014. He also served as our Chief Human Resources Officer from November 2007 to March 2018.
Prior to AAWW, Adam was employed by Ropes & Gray LLP, where he served as a partner in their Corporate Department, focusing on corporate governance, counseling public company executives and boards of directors, as well as securities, merger and acquisition and financing transactions. Prior to joining Ropes & Gray, Adam was a partner at Kelley Drye & Warren LLP.
Adam currently serves as Chair of the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Legal Advisory Council and is a Board member of the Society of Corporate Governance. He has previously served as the Chairman of the Board of the Cargo Airlines Association from 2011 to 2019. He also previously served as the Chairman of the Airlines for America (A4A) Law Council, the trade association of the leading U.S. passenger and cargo carriers.
Adam was recognized as the Governance Professional of the Year (small to mid-cap) in 2019 by Corporate Secretary’s Corporate Governance Awards. The Atlas Air Legal Team was recognized as Governance Team of the Year (small to mid-cap) in 2021 by Corporate Secretary, and was the 2018 New York Legal Awards Winner as Law Department of the Year.
Adam earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University and is a cum laude graduate of the Boston University School of Law, where he was an Edward M. Hennessey Scholar. Adam is a member of the New York and New Jersey Bars.
