After 15 years at the helm, Alan Joyce is set to step down as CEO of Australian airline Qantas.
Qantas’s chief financial officer, Vanessa Hudson, will take over as the airline’s chief executive in November, making her the first woman to run Australia’s national carrier.
The airline’s chair, Richard Goyder, 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 will continue in her role as chief financial officer of Qantas Group – which also includes budget carrier Jetstar – until the company’s annual general meeting in November, when she will assume her new position.
Ms Hudson said: “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.”
Hudson is the airline’s 13th chief executive in its 103-year history.
