Putting an end to speculation of Qantas’ succession plan, chairman Richard Goyder said Ms Hudson’s appointment was made following a “rigorous selection progress.”
“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,” Mr Goyder said in a statement.
“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.
“A key strength of Qantas is the sheer depth of talent it has, and Vanessa will be supported by a deep bench of executives across the organisation as well as by the Board.”
In the same statement, Ms Hudson said it was an “absolute honour” to be asked to lead Qantas.
“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,” she said.
An announcement on the company’s replacement for CFO will be made in “months ahead.”
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