Qantas Airways Ltd. overhauled its leadership, including naming a new chief financial officer and creating a role to oversee risk, as the Australian airline prepares for its post-Covid era under incoming Chief Executive Officer Vanessa Hudson.
Current strategy, people and technology head Rob Marcolina will become CFO when Hudson takes the reins from longtime CEO Alan Joyce in November, according to a statement from Qantas.
It’s just one of six high-profile management changes announced Wednesday by the carrier, some of which will focus on years-old pain points at Qantas — including its reputation for bruising exchanges over pay and conditions with labor unions.
Read More: The Five Key Challenges Facing New Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson
The company will introduce a chief people officer to lead both human resources and industrial relations — which are currently split — as Qantas attempts to hire 8,500 people in the next decade without getting derailed by union bust-ups.
At the same time, Catriona Larritt becomes its new chief customer and digital officer, charged with repairing fraught relations with passengers who’ve become frustrated with flight delays, cancellations and inconsistent service levels since the pandemic.
Read More: Highs and Lows of Qantas Boss Loved by Investors, Not Passengers
“The structural changes announced today are about increasing our focus on a few key areas as we move from recovery to growth,” Hudson said in the statement.
Summary of changes:
- Newly created Chief People Officer: Combining human resources and industrial relations. Executive search process underway
- New Chief Financial Officer: Rob Marcolina to succeed Vanessa Hudson
- New CEO of Qantas Domestic: Markus Svensson, currently chief customer officer, to replace Andrew David following his retirement in September
- New Chief Customer and Digital Officer: Catriona Larritt, currently executive manager of freight, will also be responsible for technology
- New CEO of QantasLink: John Gissing will retire from this position in November. Executive search process underway
- Newly created Chief Risk Officer: Andrew Monaghan, currently executive manager of safety, will oversee risk management for the Qantas group including its low-cost airline Jetstar
