From The Age this morning:
Last of the Dixon-era lieutenants leaves Qantas
Matt O'Sullivan
April 8, 2009
THE last vestiges of the Geoff Dixon-era at Qantas are about to be erased after the airline's third-in-charge, John Borghetti, announced his departure.
The decision by the 36-year veteran of Qantas to leave without a job to go to comes just two weeks after the airline slashed its senior management team by 20 per cent, or 90 jobs.
Mr Borghetti was expected to leave last year after he missed out on the top job at Qantas to Alan Joyce, but the company said at the time that he had "indicated" he would remain.
Qantas denied suggestions he had been forced out amid the major changes to the senior management team in the months after Mr Joyce's appointment.
Mr Joyce said in a statement that Mr Borghetti had recently discussed his role at the company with him. "While we are disappointed that he is leaving, we respect his view that 36 years with one employer definitely shows commitment over and above the norm," he said.
His sudden departure — he is to leave in three weeks — has left Qantas having to appoint two managers to fill his shoes. The sales and marketing chief, Rob Gurney, will take over the role of group executive of Qantas Airlines commercial while Lesley Grant will assume the title of executive manager of customer and marketing. She will report directly to Mr Joyce.
However, further changes in the senior management ranks have left some investors critical of the airline's ability to manage its way through the worst downturn in at least a decade.
"I would feel a lot more comfortable if (Peter) Gregg and Borghetti were there with Joyce," a fund manager said. "It's bloody ridiculous how they have turned over their senior management team."
Peter Gregg, the key architect of the airline under previous boss Geoff Dixon, resigned in August, just a fortnight after he was overlooked for the airline's top job in favour of Mr Joyce.