Jayne Hrdlicka’s new crew at Virgin Australia set for takeoff

Against all odds, Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka has assembled a top shelf executive team to rebuild the airline.

Virgin CEO Jayne Hrdlicka has unveiled her new executive team. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

Virgin Australia has shrugged off the limitations of COVID-19 and cash to assemble a high-calibre, new-look executive team to rebuild the airline, alongside chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka.

Only three executives from the previous administration have been retained, with six new appointments made from other airlines and retail companies.

Ms Hrdlicka said the wholesale changes to the team came from a recognition the airline needed a new executive structure to succeed.

“It’s a really important thing for any CEO,” she told The Australian.

“You’re only as good as the team around you and having a strong team and the right structure and the energy to write the next chapter in a business like Virgin Australia is essential.”

The newcomers include Woolworths chief operating officer David Marr, who will become the carrier’s chief financial officer; A2 Milk Company chief people, safety and sustainability officer Lisa Burquest, who has been appointed chief people officer; and Jetstar Japan co-CEO Nick Rohrlach, who will fill the long-vacant position of Velocity CEO.

International Airlines Group director of strategy Alistair Hartley has taken the job of chief transformation officer, and Arnott’s vice-president of corporate affairs Moksha Watts has been named chief corporate affairs officer.

David Marr moves from Woolworths COO to become Virgin’s new chief financial officer.

Former Qantas executive Paul Jones was previously announced as chief customer and digital officer, while existing chief operations officer Stuart Aggs stays on, and Susan Schneider has been promoted from general manager of legal and compliance to chief legal and risk officer.

Chief commercial officer John MacLeod plans to retire but will continue until a replacement is found, while Cameron Stone, Dayna Field and Keith Neate will exit the company.

Ms Hrdlicka said it had been easier than expected to lure the executives to Virgin Australia, following the airline’s sale to US private equity firm Bain Capital.

“They recognised that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. We’ve got an iconic brand, it’s had some trouble, it’s just come out of administration and it needs to be rebuilt, in an industry that is in fact needing to be rebuilt,” Ms Hrdlicka said.

“For executives who are hungry for challenge and wanting to make a difference, and wanting to be able to participate in a private equity structure where they can get the benefits of being owners, it actually was (easier than expected).”

None of the newcomers will receive no pay — unlike Ms Hrdlicka, who has agreed to forgo a salary until July — but it will be several months before they can all sit down together.

Mr Jones is unavailable until June due to the lengthy “constraint” period imposed by former employer Qantas.

Paul Jones will complete the switch from Qantas to Virgin in June, as chief customer and digital officer.

And although Mr Hartley arrived in Brisbane from London on January 1, Ms Hrdlicka said he had been caught up in the Grand Chancellor Hotel debacle, and had only just been released after 16 days in quarantine with his wife and three children.

“Welcome back to Australia,” she joked. All of the executives will be Brisbane-based, with the exception of Mr Rohrlach, due to the fact the Velocity office remains in Sydney.

“It’s quite a nice combination. We’ve got deep aviation expertise, we’ve got some good regional expertise and good global expertise in the industry,” said Ms Hrdlicka.

“We’re really delighted to have one of Australia’s best CFOs (David Marr) joining us. He has a wealth of experience around the world, not just in Australia, and is used to thin margin businesses that have to be incredibly responsive to market dynamics.”

The announcement of the team came just days after Qantas boss Alan Joyce suggested there was not room for both Virgin Australia and Rex in the domestic market competing against Qantas and Jetstar.

Ms Hrdlicka said it was a “theoretical argument” by Mr Joyce, given there was no market at the moment, and her executive team underscored the fact that Virgin Australia was here for good.

“We’ve just hired a really top team of excellent executives from a variety of different pasts and experiences and they’re coming together for one reason and one reason only,” she said.

“That’s to take an iconic brand back to its glory and there’s not one person in that team who’d be satisfied by anything less than very significant success.”

There remained a need for state borders to reopen and confidence to return to the travel market for any airline to thrive in Australia, and on that topic Ms Hrdlicka was in agreement with Mr Joyce.

Following on from his appeal on Friday for states to reopen to Greater Sydney, Ms Hrdlicka said she was hopeful the rollout of vaccinations would deliver the confidence required.

“This is one great country, not a bunch of smaller countries, and I think Australians want to get back to some sense of normal and we definitely don’t want to be boxed off from each other,” Ms Hrdlicka said.

“It was fantastic when borders were open in the lead-up to Christmas. Everyone was so happy to be back connecting with other people again. Unfortunately it was short-lived.”