Qantas exec team overhaul widens with departure of corporate affairs chief

The Qantas executive responsible for media and government relations at the airline is departing, continuing the top level clean-out under CEO Vanessa Hudson.

Qantas corporate affairs executive Andrew McGinnes is set to depart the airline after 13 years. Picture: Aaron Francis/NCA NewsWire

The Qantas executive responsible for media and government relations has announced his resignation at a time when the airline is striving to rebuild its image after a challenging couple of years.

Group executive for corporate affairs Andrew McGinnes has been with the company for 13 years and said the time had come for him to pursue other opportunities.

His departure slated for June continues an “executive renewal” process under new chief executive Vanessa Hudson who took over from Alan Joyce last September.

Since her promotion, Qantas Loyalty CEO Olivia Wirth has quit, and two other senior executives - QantasLink CEO John Gissing and Domestic chief Andrew David - have retired.

Mr McGinnes began with the airline in 2011 as Jetstar’s head of corporate communications, rising up the ranks to the powerful group management committee in 2020.

In a note to employees, Ms Hudson thanked Mr McGinnes for his “hard work and dedication to the company for over a decade”.

“Over those years, he carefully led the communications for record profits and losses, a number of transformation programs and turnarounds, major fleet announcements and route launches, and the unprecedented challenges of Covid,” wrote Ms Hudson.

“Andrew will be with us until June 2024 and a search to replace him is well underway. He leaves with our sincere thanks and best wishes.”

Andrew McGinnes (L) with former CEO Alan Joyce and Jetstar CEO Steph Tully. Picture: Aaron Francis/NCA Newswire

Mr McGinnes said it had been “an absolute privilege to work at the Qantas Group”.

“Qantas is typically one of the most mentioned brands in the country and that will no doubt continue because of the important role it plays in national life and the connection that Australians have to it,” he said.

Mr McGinnes’ role came under scrutiny last year during several Senate hearings examining a range of issues involving Qantas, including concern about the airline’s close relationship with the Albanese government.

Qantas’s support for the “yes” vote in the Voice to Parliament referendum and the government’s decision to deny Qatar Airways more flights into Australia raised questions about the airline’s influence.

In an explosive hearing on August 28, Mr McGinnes joined former CEO Alan Joyce and Jetstar CEO Steph Tully for a grilling over travel credits, high airfares and record profits.

It then emerged Qantas had sought to hide how much it was holding in unused Covid travel credits, which were due to expire at the end of the year.

Within days a decision was made to axe the expiry date and a short time later Mr Joyce made the decision to bring forward his retirement by two months to “accelerate the renewal process” at Qantas.

The long-serving chief executive has been in Ireland ever since, caring for his elderly mother.

Qantas also announced the elevation of Andrew Walduck on Tuesday to chief information officer, replacing Sam Charmand who left last year.

Last week Andrew Glance was named as Ms Wirth’s replacement in the lucrative Loyalty sector, taking over next month.

Originally published as Qantas exec team overhaul widens with departure of corporate affairs chief