Advertising guru Sampson to beef up Qantas board

QANTAS has added advertising guru Todd Sampson to its board to boost marketing expertise among its directors.

Advertising businessman Todd Sampson has joined the Qantas board.

QANTAS has added advertising guru Todd Sampson to its board to boost marketing expertise among its directors.

Airline chairman Leigh Clifford said Mr Sampson, who has expertise in marketing communication, new media and digital transformation, would join the board from February 25.

“Todd will bring a wealth of marketing experience to the Qantas board, as well as broader business acumen from the senior leadership and strategy roles he has held,” Mr Clifford said.

Mr Sampson, who also sits on the Fairfax Media board, said Qantas was one of the most iconic brands in the world, adding it was an honour to join the board. The high-profile chief executive of the Leo Burnett Group is a regular on the ABC’s Gruen Transfer program.

His appointment is a sign the national carrier is strongly focused on its image in the constant domestic battle with rival Virgin.

Peter Cosgrove, who had been a director since 2005, stepped down in January last year to become Governor-General and had not been replaced.

Maxine Brenner and Jacqueline Hey were the last appointees to the board, joining in August 2013.

Shares in Qantas were 1.57 per cent down at $2.50 yesterday, ­the stock sitting at about four-year highs on the back of the low oil price. Jet fuel, which trades at a premium to the oil price, is more than a third lower than a year ago.

Last month, Qantas said it expected to return to an underlying profit in the first half of between $300 million and $350m, as it reaped the benefits of its wide-reaching transformation strategy as well as a drop in the Australian dollar and the oil price.

Chief executive Alan Joyce said last month the company was passionate about the brand.

“Our people really worked hard to make sure we could turn this company around,” he said.