Qantas Airways (ASX:QAN) Ltd faces further restructure after loyalty boss Olivia Wirth handed in her resignation.
The move comes just a week after Wirth accepted a seat on the Myer Holdings Ltd board and amid speculation she could be the next head of loyalty for Crown Casino.
Wirth would be an asset anywhere she goes, having grown the Qantas loyalty program by 3 million to 15 million members and delivered record earnings.
“I recognise that there are always going to be opportunities that executives look outside the organisation and often that creates the opportunity for renewal as well,” new Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson said prior to Wirth’s resignation.
“When I look at the talent that is within the Qantas group, executive movement creates opportunity for new, younger, energetic leaders to step up.”
Wirth will depart in February 2024, but is intent on delivering further improvements to the loyalty business in the wake of a Senate enquiry investigating customer complaints over Frequent Flyer programs.
Qantas aims for loyalty division to yield A$1 billion earnings by 2030; hires chief people officer
Qantas has set an ambitious goal for its loyalty division to generate up to A$1 billion in earnings by 2030, chiefly driven by a focused foray into financial services and insurance.
Meanwhile, the company faces hurdles in workforce management and union relations.
In a legal setback last month, Australia's High Court ruled that Qantas had unlawfully dismissed nearly 1,700 ground workers across 10 Australian airports. Following the verdict, Qantas executive Hudson committed to expediting compensation settlements.
To address mounting employee issues, Qantas disclosed at the end of June its plan to hire a chief people officer. The new role aims to resolve staffing challenges aggravated by pandemic-triggered layoffs and to mend strained relations with trade unions.
PwC head of culture, Catherine Walsh will join January to fill the newly created position and will report to Hudson.
Walsh has 25 years’ experience in human resources and industrial relations, including most recently as a “member of the new leadership team driving cultural change at PwC”.
Qantas said today that Walsh will “drive a stronger relationship between Qantas and its 25,000 employees, as well as with the unions that represent them”.
“As our chief people officer, Catherine will support those collective efforts by ensuring we always value the incredible contribution our people make to this organisation and listen to their insights, especially as we welcome thousands more to the group to support our growth,” Hudson said.