Updated

Qantas board failed to challenge Joyce’s ‘command and control’

Ayesha de Kretser and James Thomson

Updated Aug 8, 2024 – 6.50pm, first published at 8.44am

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Qantas’ board failed to challenge an all-powerful chief executive, leading to a “command and control” approach from Alan Joyce that left the airline with “significant reputational and customer service issues”, a long-running review into the company’s governance has found.

The company told investors that Mr Joyce would not receive $9.2 million in bonuses that had previously been awarded, out of $11 million that could have been clawed back, given the findings of the review and the significant deterioration in Qantas’ relationship with customers and regulators.

Ayesha de Kretser is a senior reporter with The Australian Financial Review covering the aviation and tourism sectors. She has previously reported on banking, mining and commodity markets.

James Thomson is senior Chanticleer columnist based in Melbourne. He was the Companies editor and editor of BRW Magazine.