I recall Sunfish saying a while back to watch for the arrival of former EK execs into Qantas as a sign of a potential takeover by stealth.
Lo and behold:
QANTAS'S high-profile head of corporate and government affairs, Olivia Wirth, will move away from government lobbying and take on marketing role in what the airline has labelled a "strategic refresh".
Ms Wirth, whose partner is Australian Workers' Union national secretary Paul Howes, will take on a newly-created role of group executive brand, marketing and corporate affairs. The role incorporates her existing responsibilities for communications and adds responsibility of the Qantas brand.
Emirates executive Andrew Parker will join Qantas in the newly-created role of group executive, government and international affairs.
Qantas also said it would consolidate its market intelligence and customer insight function, currently spread between different business units, into its existing strategy division.
The airline said the changes would implemented by July and would mean the position of its current executive general manager of marketing, Lewis Pullen, would no longer exist and he would leave the company.