Qantas names first female CEO as Hudson succeeds Joyce

Qantas Airways Ltd. named Vanessa Hudson as its new chief executive officer, making her the first woman to lead the airline in its 103-year history.

Hudson, who has worked at the carrier for almost three decades and is currently chief financial officer, will assume the top job in November, Sydney-based Qantas said Tuesday. Current CEO Alan Joyce, one of aviation’s longest-serving leaders, will step down after 15 years in the role.

Hudson will be handed an airline delivering record profits amid surging demand for air travel after Joyce slashed thousands of jobs during the Covid-19 crisis. She will also inherit strained ties with union leaders and bruised relations with passengers angered by pandemic-related cancellations, delays and lost bags. 

Hudson started with Qantas in 1994 as an internal auditor before becoming catering product manager three years later. She has since held leadership positions in commercial planning and sales and distribution, and was the airline’s chief customer officer before the pandemic. 

“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,” Qantas Chairman Richard Goyder said.

While Joyce is famed for turning around one of Australia’s most iconic brands at least twice and enriching shareholders, he leaves behind a divisive legacy after a series of employee cuts.

The earlier-than-expected succession announcement allows Joyce to hand over the reins over a six-month period. Goyder had previously said Joyce would remain in charge until at least the end of 2023.  

Hudson hadn’t hidden her ambitions to lead the airline. She put her hand up for the role in an interview with Bloomberg Television in March last year. “If the board were to give me the opportunity to step into Alan’s shoes, I would be incredibly honored and proud,” she said at the time. “There are a number of candidates competing for that role.”