Key Points
- The Qantas Group has announced Vanessa Hudson will become its next CEO and managing director.
- She will take over from Alan Joyce upon his retirement in November 2023.
- Ms Hudson will be the first woman to hold the position of CEO in the company's history.
The Qantas Group has announced Vanessa Hudson will become its next CEO and managing director, taking over from Alan Joyce when he retires in November 2023.
Ms Hudson is currently the group’s chief financial officer, and will be the first woman to hold the position of CEO in the company's history.
Chairman Richard Goyder said the appointment came after a "rigorous selection process".
“A lot of thought has gone into this succession and the Board had a number of high-quality candidates to consider, both internally and externally," he said.
“Vanessa has a deep understanding of this business after almost three decades in a range of roles both onshore and offshore, across commercial, customer and finance. She has a huge amount of airline experience and she’s an outstanding leader.
Ms Hudson has worked in a number of executive positions across the group over 28 years, including chief customer officer and senior vice president for Qantas across the Americas and New Zealand.
“It’s an absolute honour to be asked to lead the national carrier. This is an exceptional company full of incredibly talented people and it’s very well positioned for the future," she said.
"My focus will be delivering for those we rely on and who rely on us – our customers, our employees, our shareholders and the communities we serve.”
Ms Hudson will continue in her current role while also being CEO designate and joining the board.
An announcement on a new chief financial officer will be made in the months ahead.
