Australia-based airline Qantas has announced that Vanessa Hudson will be taking over as CEO and managing director. She will succeed outgoing CEO Alan Joyce, who will be retiring in November 2023. Hudson currently serves as the company’s chief financial officer.
“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,” said board chairman Richard Goyder. “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.”
Hudson joined Qantas in 1994. Prior to becoming chief financial officer, she held a number of positions with company including chief customer officer, executive manager of sales and distribution, senior vice president for Qantas across the Americas and New Zealand, executive manager of commercial planning and executive manager for product and service. Hudson holds a bachelor of business degree and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.
