Vanessa Hudson has the right stuff in spades to captain Qantas through the next phase of its extraordinary flight path that has spanned 103 years.
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But unions be warned Ms Hudson is no pushover and is very focused on fiscal responsibility.
Ms Hudson joined Qantas in 1994 and has had a variety of roles. Her list of positions is extremely impressive and equips Ms Hudson for the role of running the airline,
Qantas staff speak highly of Ms Hudson saying she is “very approachable and fair.”
Ms Hudson said of her appointment:
“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. 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.”
At a press conference, Ms Hudson added: “I come with an understanding of this organization that is very deep.”
“I think that the experience that I’ve had, and also recently, in helping manage through COVID, places me in a great position to look forward in terms of all of the investments that are coming with new aircraft, but also continuing to invest in our customers,” she said.
Qantas Chairman Richard Goyder said the appointment came after a rigorous selection process and allows for a smooth transition from current CEO Alan Joyce.
Mr Goyder said: “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.
“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.
“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
Here is Ms Hudson’s list of positions:
Group Chief Financial Officer
Oct 2019 – Present
Group Chief Financial Officer – Designate
Jun 2019 – Oct 2019
Chief Customer Officer
Feb 2018 – Jun 2019
Executive Manager Sales and Distribution
Jul 2016 – Feb 2018
Senior Executive Vice President, The Americas
Oct 2013 – Jul 2016
Executive Manager Commercial Planning
Apr 2010 – Sep 2013
Executive Manager Product and Services
Mar 2005 – Apr 2010
General Manager Inflight Services
Mar 2001 – Mar 2005
Qantas Catering Product Manager
Jul 1997 – Mar 2001
Financial Controller – Commercial Division
Dec 1995 – Jul 1997
Internal Audit Supervisor
Oct 1994 – Dec 1995
