Why Swissport Chose Cato Networks to Secure and Streamline its Global IT Infrastructure  

Swissport International AG is the world’s largest ground-handling company, ensuring seamless operations across 279 airports in 45 countries handling approximately 247 million airline passengers per year, as of the end of 2024. That kind of scale brings complexity. For Swissport’s new IT leadership, that complexity had grown into an unsustainable mix of legacy security controls, fragmented remote access solutions, and painfully slow troubleshooting. 

Then came the shift. 

In our newly released case study and video, Swissport’s Chief Technology Officer, Richard Thorp, and Chief Information Security Officer, Giles Ashton-Roberts, walk us through how they transformed global IT operations with the Cato SASE Cloud Platform. 

Spoiler alert: The results are as impressive as the scale of their business. 

From Complexity to Control 

When Thorp joined Swissport, the company had already adopted the Cato SASE Cloud Platform to modernize its global network infrastructure. His focus turned to security and remote access, where legacy systems were still creating operational friction and security vulnerabilities. 

Different platforms meant different configurations. Troubleshooting was inconsistent; security enforcement was a challenge. 

Security wasn’t just an operational headache—it was a real risk. Many remote users were connecting through outdated VPNs, and encrypted traffic often went uninspected because doing so could break airline-critical systems. 

The situation wasn’t sustainable. But neither Thorp nor Ashton-Roberts rushed into change. Over a ten-month evaluation, they tested Cato’s security capabilities rigorously. What ultimately convinced them? 

“Visibility,” said Thorp. “It’s incredibly easy to pinpoint connectivity issues, analyze traffic patterns, and secure our network from a single interface.” 

Real Transformation, Not Just a Technology Swap 

Swissport didn’t just replace one vendor with another. They completely reimagined how their infrastructure should work. Here’s what they gained: 

• Proactive IT operations: “Before, we were always reacting,” said Thorp. “Now, we have time to focus on strategic projects instead of firefighting.” 

• Zero trust security: Every endpoint, whether in an office or at an airport lounge, now operates under consistent, identity-driven security policies. 

• Encrypted traffic inspection—without disruption: Cato Safe TLS Inspection delivers visibility without breaking applications. For Swissport, that was a game-changer. 

• Faster troubleshooting: In one instance, a database issue in South Africa that previously would have taken days to isolate was resolved in just 15 minutes. 

And perhaps most importantly for Thorp: peace of mind. “I relax a bit more with the Cato SASE Cloud Platform around. It’s given us a holistic way of protecting ourselves today and a secure foundation for everything we want to do in the future.”  

More Than a Vendor: A True Partner 

One standout theme in both the case study and video is the collaborative relationship Swissport has built with Cato. 

“When we needed something added to the platform, it was delivered. Not just promised—delivered,” said Thorp. “That kind of responsiveness isn’t common in enterprise IT.” 

Ready for Takeoff? 

Swissport’s journey offers a playbook for IT leaders facing similar challenges: outdated infrastructure, growing security risk, and a need to scale without increasing operational overhead. 

Whether you’re operating across three locations or 300, the case study is full of practical insights—from TLS inspection and ZTNA deployment to how Swissport handled change management during the migration. 

📖 Read the case study 

 🎥 Watch the video:

Find out how Swissport transformed its global IT operations—then imagine what the same approach could do for yours.