Alan Joyce to step down as Qantas CEO after 15 years

Qantas’s chief executive officer Alan Joyce will officially step down from the carrier in November after 15 years at the helm.

Joyce will be replaced by chief financial officer Vanessa Hudson in November, putting an end to long-running speculation surrounding the airline’s succession plan.

Hudson joined the airline in 1994 and has worked in a number of executive positions across the group over the past 28 years, including as chief customer officer and senior vice president for Qantas across the Americas and New Zealand.

Qantas chairman Richard Goyder said the appointment would lead to a smooth transition between Joyce and Hudson, who have worked closely together for more than 10 years.

“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,” Goyder said.

Hudson became chief financial officer in 2019 and managed Qantas’s finance and treasury portfolio over the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline accrued more than $7 billion in debt over the two-year industry grounding and returned to a billion-dollar half-year profit earlier this year.

“For the past five years Vanessa has had a direct hand in shaping our strategy as a member of the Group Management Committee, and her handling of the finance and treasury portfolio during the COVID crisis was outstanding. She also led the fleet selection process in 2022 for the renewal of our domestic jet aircraft over the next decade.”

More to come