Qantas board and executives salaries revealed as airline suffers
The eye-watering pay packets of more than a dozen high-powered individuals running Australia’s embattled national carrier have been revealed.
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Qantas executives and board members have been on a gravy plane pocketing $49.5 million in the past fiveyears as the airline nosedives.
The carrier once advertised as the “spirit of Australia” has been in damage control, with Qantas battling a $600 million lawsuit over ghost flights, an embarrassing High Court ruling that it illegally sacked workers and widespread customer anger at overpriced fares.
Despite the crisis, those at the top of the airline have been raking it in.
Among the bigger earners are chief executive of Qantas domestic Andrew David ($12.8 million since 2017), Loyalty chief executive Olivia Wirth ($7.5 million), and chairman Richard Goyder ($2.5 million).
It comes as a News Corp investigation revealed new Qantas boss Vanessa Hudson will receive cash of about $5.3m if she retires after hanging on for just three years in the top job.
Ms Hudson, who has replaced Alan Joyce, does not need to earn a bonus in order to receive the retirement jackpot, which she is entitled to as a member of a lucrative defined benefit scheme that has been closed to new Qantas employees since April Fools’ Day in 1995.
Qantas declined to comment on Ms Hudson’s retirement scheme.
The board, led by Mr Goyder, faced calls to resign this week after the High Court ruling that the airline illegally sacked 1700 ground staff during Covid.
On Friday, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission hit Qantas again, saying it plans to cancel permission for the airline to co-ordinate flights between Sydney and Shanghai with rival China Eastern.
Qantas also needs to spend $15bn on new planes to update its elderly fleet.
It makes for an interesting shareholders meeting in November, at which point those steering the Qantas plane and their salaries will be under intense scrutiny.
Here’s what the key company players earn.
IN THE COCKPIT
VANESSA HUDSON, NEW CEO, FORMERLY CFO
Pay since becoming CFO in 2019: $4,575,000
New CEO pay: $1.6m a year base plus a cash bonus of up to $2.56m a year and the same again in shares for a maximum of $6.72m.
A 29-year Qantas lifer whose previous jobs include chief customer officer as well as sales and planning.
ANDREW DAVID, CEO QANTAS DOMESTIC
Pay since 2017: $12,826,000
Has held a number of executive gigs over a decade at Qantas. Responsible for the illegal sacking of 1700 workers during the pandemic.
OLIVIA WIRTH, CEO LOYALTY
Pay since becoming CEO loyalty in 2018: $7,566,000
Has done 14 years at the airline. Best known for running corporate affairs.
ROB MARCOLINA, CFO
Appointed CFO in September. Former Bain consultant who started at Qantas in 2012.
CAM WALLACE, CEO QANTAS INTERNATIONAL AND FREIGHT
Started in June. Former Air New Zealand executive with a media and advertising background.
STEPHANIE TULLY, CEO JETSTAR
Replaced Evans late last year. A 20-year Qantas veteran whose last job was chief customer officer.
FREQUENT FLYERS
RICHARD GOYDER, 63
Chairman since 2018, joined the board in 2017
Pay since joining the board: $2,481,000
High-flying WA businessman who previously ran billionaire Kerry Stokes’ Wesfarmers empire, where he was paid $90m between 2005 and 2017. Chairman of the AFL Commission, director of Woodside, the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and drug and alcohol services charity Palmerston Foundation. Owns a 1200ha farm in WA, a $10m palace in Perth a stone’s throw from the Swan River and a $10.43m Melbourne bolthole in fashionable South Yarra.
MAXINE BRENNER, 61
Director since 2013
Pay since 2017: $1,716,000
Former corporate lawyer at top firm Freehills whose other roles include a stint at NSW Treasury.
JACQUELINE HEY, 57
Director since 2013
Pay since 2017: $1,278,000
Former Ericsson exec. Bendigo Bank chair and former director of Cricket Australia and energy company AGL.
BELINDA HUTCHINSON, 69
Director since 2018
Pay since joining the board: $1,079,000
Formerly of millionaires’ factory Macquarie Group. Chancellor of the University of Sydney and chair of the Australian arm of French defence contractor Thales.
MICHAEL L’ESTRANGE, 69
Director since 2016
Pay since 2017: $1,282,000
Former DFAT secretary. Stepped down from Rio Tinto board in 2021 following the Juukan Gorge disaster. Retiring from Qantas board after the AGM in November.
TODD SAMPSON, 53
Director since 2015
Pay since 2017: $1,506,000
Is on TV a lot. Wears t shirts and is the youngest member of the board. Former advertising exec.
ANTONY TYLER, 67
Director since 2018
Pay since joining board: $896,000
Airline exec who spent 30 years at Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific. Sits on boards of Canadian jet maker Bombardier, aircraft leasing company BOC Aviation and seaplane operator Trans Maldivian Airways.
Heather Smith, 58
New director, to be voted on by shareholders at the November AGM. Former Reserve Bank economist and public servant who sits on the boards of the ASX and Challenger.
Doug Parker, 62
New director, to be voted on by shareholders at the November AGM. Chairman of American Airlines and its former CEO. Once did a day in jail after being busted for drink driving for the third time.
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