Qantas Group announces changes to senior executive team
Qantas Aircraft takes to the skies
Qantas Group announced two major changes to its senior executive team: the appointment of a Chief People Officer and the resignation of its Loyalty CEO.
Olivia Wirth resigns as Loyalty CEO
Olivia Wirth has been the CEO of Qantas Loyalty, encompassing the airline’s 15 million member Frequent Flyer Program, since 2018. Wirth will leave the company in 2024 to pursue other opportunities, according to the press release.
Under her leadership, the Loyalty program expanded its presence in hotels, holidays, insurance and financial services, while also adding 3 million members.
Wirth said, “Qantas has been a massive part of my professional life and I’m really grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given over the years. At its core, Qantas is an incredible company and brand and I’ve loved being part of it. I’m extremely proud of what the team at Loyalty has achieved and I’m looking forward to delivering more improvements for members before I leave.”
Wirth has been with Qantas for 14 years and, the company said in its press release, has made a massive contribution in a number of senior roles, including Chief Customer Officer and Group Executive for Brand, Marketing and Corporate Affairs.
In announcing the executive changes, Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said, “Olivia’s contribution to this company over many years has been enormous. As CEO of Loyalty, she drove huge expansion of what the program offers and that shows in the growth in members and their engagement levels.
“During COVID, Loyalty was one of the few parts of our business that was able to carry on, which took a lot of hard work and imagination. There are many improvements for customers in the pipeline that Olivia will continue working on with her team over the next few months, as part of setting this part of the business up for continued success.”
Hudson continued, “As well as the other senior roles she held, Olivia has been a member of the Group Management Committee for more than a decade and on behalf of the organization I’d like to sincerely thank her for everything she’s done.”
The company will begin a process to appoint a new CEO of Qantas Loyalty shortly.
Qantas Group appoints Catherine Walsh as Chief People Officer
Qantas Group revised its management team structure to include a dedicated role of Chief People Officer in June 2023, according to the press release. The Chief People Officer reports to the Group CEO.
After an extensive search, Catherine Walsh has been appointed to this role, bringing 25 years of experience in human resources and industrial relations across similarly large and complex organizations, including Australia Post, Downer, Spotless and PWC.
In this new role, Walsh will help build a stronger relationship between Qantas and its 25,000 employees and the unions that represent them, the company shared in its press release.
Walsh said, “It’s an honour to be joining the Qantas Group in such an important role and at a pivotal time. I’ve spent a lot of time on Qantas flights and the dedication and professionalism of the people always shines through, so I look forward to being part of the broader team.”
In announcing the appointment of Chief People Officer, Hudson said, “Several months ago we announced the Chief People Officer role to make sure the voice of our people is front and centre on the leadership team and I’m thrilled Catherine will be bringing her skills and experience to this important task.”
“Ultimately, building a stronger culture and better relationships with our people is one of my highest priorities and a shared responsibility across management,” Hudson continued. “As our Chief People Officer, Catherine will support those collective efforts by ensuring we always value the incredible contribution our people make to this organization and listen to their insights, especially as we welcome thousands more to the Group to support our growth.”
Walsh will start with the company in January 2024.
