Qantas overhauls leadership for new era under Hudson

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. 

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.

“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.