David Brennan
Director, Dangerous Goods by Air Consulting
David spent 21 years at IATA, the airline trade body that publishes the Dangerous Goods Regulations used at every cargo counter in the world, responsible for developing and publishing its dangerous goods standards. For 17 of those years he was IATA's member on the ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel, the room where the international rules are debated and written. Before IATA he spent 26 years at Ansett Australia, finishing as the airline group's corporate advisor on dangerous goods compliance and the author of its group dangerous goods manual.
Dangerous Goods by Air Consulting exists because, as David puts it, the rules evolve faster than most compliance teams realise. The goal is simple: support industry in achieving the highest level of compliance, so that the risk dangerous goods pose in air transport is reduced to a level acceptable to everyone concerned.
- Phone
- 0422 518 704
- Based
- Brighton East, Melbourne
- Profile
Career
- July 2023 onward
Dangerous Goods by Air Consulting Pty Ltd
Director. Independent consultancy on the transport of dangerous goods by air for shippers, operators, ground service providers and postal operators in Australia and worldwide, working on site and remotely from Brighton East, Victoria.
- December 2008 to July 2023
IATA, Assistant Director Cargo Safety and Standards
Responsible for the development and publication of IATA's standards for the transport of dangerous goods by air, including the Dangerous Goods Regulations. Panel member nominated by IATA to the ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel.
- May 2002 to December 2008
IATA, Assistant Director Special Cargo Standards
Standards for dangerous goods and other special cargo across the airline industry. Secretary of the IATA Dangerous Goods Board from 2003.
- September 1975 to September 2001
Ansett Australia, Corporate Advisor Dangerous Goods Compliance
Twenty-six years with the airline, finishing as the adviser responsible for common dangerous goods policy and procedures across every airline in the Ansett and Air New Zealand group. Created and maintained the Group Dangerous Goods Manual and coordinated standard dangerous goods training syllabi across the group.
Committees, publications and speaking
- IATA's nominated member of the ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel, 2006 to 2023, the panel that writes the Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air
- Secretary of the IATA Dangerous Goods Board, 2003 to 2023
- More than 18 years as an industry observer to the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, developer of the UN Model Regulations
- IATA's representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency Transport Safety Standards Committee (TRANSSC), developer of the Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material
- Technical Advisor to The Journal of HazMat Transportation, reporting on the air mode
- Regular speaker at the Labelmaster Dangerous Goods Symposium, IATA lithium battery events and industry webinars
Inside the room where the rules are written
In September 2026 David joined Bob Richard and Duane Pfund, both former chairs of the ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel, to explain how members are nominated, how proposals are debated and how a single agenda item becomes a binding international regulation.