2 QF CEOs leave Qantas group

[ACMS]

Sky news Twitter feed---

@SkyNewsAust: #BREAKING: The current CEO of Qantas International and CEO of Qantas Domestic have decided to leave the Qantas Group.

[RENURPP]

From the QF newsroom.
The Qantas Group has announced changes to its executive leadership team as it continues its accelerated transformation program.

As a result of the new structure the current CEO of Qantas International, Simon Hickey, and CEO of Qantas Domestic, Lyell Strambi, have decided to leave the Qantas Group.

Under the leadership of Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce, the revised executive team will consist of:

· Andrew David – CEO of Qantas Domestic (currently Chief Operating Officer for Qantas Airways)

· Gareth Evans, CEO of Qantas International and Freight (currently CFO for the Qantas Group).

· John Gissing – Group Executive Associated Airlines & Services (currently CEO for QantasLink, will now report to the Group CEO)

· Robert Marcolina, Group Executive Strategy, Transformation & IT (currently Executive Manager, Group Strategy; this expanded role will now report to the Group CEO)

· Tino La Spina, Group Chief Financial Officer, Qantas Group (currently Deputy CFO for the Qantas Group).

The following roles on the Executive Team remain unchanged:

· Andrew Finch – General Counsel and Company Secretary

· Lesley Grant – CEO, Qantas Loyalty

· Jayne Hrdlicka – CEO, Jetstar

· Andrew Parker – Group Executive, Government and International Affairs

· Jon Scriven – Group Executive, People and Office of the CEO

· Olivia Wirth – Group Executive Brand, Marketing and Corporate Affairs

This represents a flatter structure for the broader Qantas Group executive team, with the positions of Deputy CFO, QantasLink CEO and Qantas Airways Chief Operating Officer not being replaced.

Transition to the new structure will begin in the New Year, with changes finalised by March 2015. The last major restructure of the Qantas Executive Committee was in May 2012.

Announcing the changes, Alan Joyce recognised the contribution made by Lyell Strambi and Simon Hickey.

“In a number of roles at Qantas, but especially as the CEOs of our domestic and international airlines, Lyell and Simon have helped build a stronger Qantas. I would like to thank them for their tremendous contribution and wish them well for the future,” said Mr Joyce.

“Simon has been with Qantas for 10 years in a number of senior roles including the CEO of Qantas Frequent Flyer where he also oversaw the substantial growth of that business. More recently Simon has been the CEO of Qantas International, which has seen a significant turnaround under his leadership.

“Lyell has been a key member of the executive team at Qantas over the past six years, most recently as the CEO of Qantas Domestic. This business has faced tough a tough market environment however has risen above the competition to emerge as a stronger and leaner business, with significant improvements to its customer service and cost base.

“In the 12 months since we announced our accelerated transformation program, we have made excellent progress. But there is still a lot of work to build the foundation for a stronger, more sustainable and more successful Qantas.

“This new executive team will lead this work forward to deliver for our customers, shareholders and employees according to the strategy we have laid out,” said Mr Joyce.

Simon Hickey said he felt privileged to have worked with a dedicated and passionate team of people at Qantas, however it was the right time to explore new opportunities.

“During my time at Qantas, I am most proud of working with great teams to refocus the Loyalty business; restructuring Qantas Freight into the largest independent air freight business in Australia; and of course helping drive the turnaround in Qantas International. This has included improving customer satisfaction, overhauling the network and improving our alliances, while reducing the cost base.

Lyell Strambi said that given what had already been achieved in Qantas Domestic, he believed now was the right time for him to look for new challenges outside the aviation industry.

“I’ve spent over 30 years in aviation, including the last six with the Qantas Group. The past few years have been particularly challenging for our domestic business, but thanks to the contribution of the entire Domestic team, we’ve emerged stronger with an improved customer experience and a leaner operation. I’m proud of the progress made and have no doubt Qantas can keep improving into the future, ensuring the airline remains this country’s first choice for business travellers.”

Background on executives moving into new roles:

Gareth Evans has been a senior executive at Qantas for 15 years and brings experience from previous roles that spanned network, pricing, scheduling and operations. Using his airline and finance background, and building on the key role he has played in the transformation of the Group as a whole, Gareth will be focused on completing the turnaround of Qantas International.

Andrew David brings more than 20 years’ aviation experience to his new role as CEO Qantas Domestic. Prior to joining the Qantas Group in 2013, Andrew served in senior operational roles for airlines in Australia and New Zealand. Andrew is currently the Chief Operating Officer for Qantas and from March 2015 will be responsible for the ongoing transformation of the Qantas Domestic business.

Tino La Spina has been the Deputy CFO for the Qantas Group since 2009, responsible for Group Finance, Procurement, Fleet Planning, Taxation and Insurance. Tino has also held the position of the CFO and Head of Commercial for Qantas Loyalty. Tino has over two decades of experience in the transport sector.

John Gissing has held senior management roles in a number of airlines, including over the past 12 years with the Qantas Group. A qualified pilot, his experience includes several safety and senior flight operations roles for both Qantas and Jetstar. This new role will be responsible for QantasLink, Network Aviation and Jetconnect, as well as safety and workforce planning and Qantas Ground Services.

Rob Marcolina will be taking on an expanded role as Group Executive, Strategy, Transformation and IT. Rob has been with Qantas since 2012 as the Executive Manager of Group Strategy and prior to that worked for Bain & Company in the US and Australia.

[ACMS]

And here I was hoping that was the great Irish #### that was leaving......

[Qantas 787]

Happy Hickey is gone - as useless as tits on a bull

Shame about Strambi, I actually liked him

[crosscutter]

pfft Bambi

[SandyPalms]

Something's up :confused:

[busdriver007]

Joyce in March....:ok:

[The Bungeyed Bandit]

Do they know something we don't?

Rats abandoning the ship?

[p.j.m]

Sky news Twitter feed---

@SkyNewsAust: #BREAKING: The current CEO of Qantas International and CEO of Qantas Domestic have decided to leave the Qantas Group.

you had me there for a minute...

When is Joyce going - he is the problem!

[Australopithecus]

I beg to differ. Joyce is a symptom. Clifford is the problem.

[ohallen]

OK I am fine with both (AJ and Clifford) going, just make it soon.

If as hinted above AJ going in march, what the hell is going on here and who is driving these changes.

Key point here is were they pushed (two at a time is drastic at this level) or did they both opt to go at the same time (indicating abandoning ship)

Either way it is not good with Senior Execs and should reflect on those above any way you look at it.

[Qantas 787]

What Austral said is spot on

[dragon man]

Clifford tells the crews that Joyce is not the problem he is the solution.

[ohallen]

Of course he does, how many times have you heard that a CEO has the full support of the Board just before they get turfed and replaced. Something is going on here and maybe, just maybe a falling out is happening OR they are working together on a post Joyce era.

[V-Jet]

Greener pastures? Hah! What could possibly provide greener pastures than a massive payment pa from one of THE worlds most iconic brands for doing two tenths of f-all??

AP has it in one, the CEO, senior management and the entire operating ethos of this once untouchable company are symptoms of what is being driven by a Board whose expertise in airline operations (as has been written in the press) has been garnered from that school of VERY hard knocks and coal face experience - enjoying Champgne and Beluga Caviar in the Chairmans Club. I noted that none of them were even around elong nough to know or experience the Captains Club.

[The The]

Appears the turnaround of some sections of the business has been a little too successful whilst the golden child of your making reels with costly foreign entities that continually need propping up and cross subsidising.

What choice do you have when people start to question how much longer this propping up can go on?

[Spey]

Evans was the face of the Retro 737 not Strambi. Odd?

I'd suggest this whole circus of being broke and losing 2.8b in write downs has been orchestrated so Joyce can cash in on the 2.5m after looking like a hero and disappear.

Then Evans will just become the CEO and as for David from Tiger - God help the Domestic product.

It's all to sad for words. The brand has been trashed and staff treated like rubbish. Some people like Hudson Fysh and Paul McGuiness would be rolling in their graves.

Shame on the greed of the lot of them.

[C441]

Andrew David brings more than 20 years’ aviation experience to his new role as CEO Qantas Domestic. Prior to joining the Qantas Group in 2013, Andrew served in senior operational roles for airlines in Australia and New Zealand.

........where he was sacked twice.......

[POT100]

If Strambi has been pushed, then I think it would be an outrage!!..
The man has held extensive senior management positions and is one of the few people in QF who actually know how to run an airline!..
But he might've realised that he ain't gonna get Joyce's job, so better to bail..
Shame coz I thought he was good and would've made a great CEO..
I cannot believe that Incompetent Irishman is still there..The worst CEO in QFs history...
Just reinforces the fact that the company management is rotten to the core and full of sycophants and yes men and women...What a disaster lays ahead!!..

[Spey]

Lyell in person is a good man. He was the first to be turfed by ANZ when he was at AN. He employed Joyce at AN. Lyell did great things for Virgin Atlantic.

I've never thought he fitted into the Joyce world yet now he's been stabbed out - the irony.

Nobody is perfect and I can't stand the lot of them yet Lyell was a decent guy to work for and in person.

I think he's better off out of that circus.

Andrew David? WTF?

insane dot com

[QFBUSBOY]

The trumour is that apparently there was a falling out between Strambi & Joyce some weeks ago about JQ draining the host too much and the foreign dim sim adventure. Joyce retaliated by locking Strambi out of the past few board meetings, hence the rise of the one with a Welsh name, and the other pretender.

[westjet]

Agree with Spey re Strambi,
But busboy is also spot on, Strambi made it clear there was too much orange and not enough red, bingo he is gone!
787s being trashed by low fare paying bogans, which should be flying for QF to and from Perth, with much higher yields, and giving virgin some real headaches on the perth route!
Borghetti cannot believe his luck!

[Qantas 787]

Quotes "Evans was the face of the Retro 737 not Strambi. Odd?"

Well Evans is second in charge if Joyce can't be there - and rumour is Strambi was against the whole Retro livery from the start and never wanted it to happen. Now he is eating his words when he sees how well received it has been.

[busdriver007]

Lyell was overheard saying "Jetstar has cost this company over $1.6 billion" and has gone the way of Bruce Buchanan who protested "do not give me more than 6 B787s because I can't make the model work". It seems Alan doesn't like to be challenged. If he stays then do not expect the profits to last!:ugh:

[SandyPalms]

Didn't somebody say that their was to be some big announcement on the 15th. That's Monday.

So a big announcement the morning (weekday) after BOTH big wigs split. Anybody else want to bet it's bad news again for Qantas. Looks like whatever it is, neither if them want to be part if it.

[1A_Please]

To lose one CEO may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness; to lose three would have been wonderful!!!
:=

Apologies to Oscar Wilde

[ohallen]

Well now the message is very clear

Buchanan+Strambi+Hickey<Joyce + Wirth

[Spey]

I'm surprised to read Lyell wasn't in favour of the retro roo. Not like him yet clearly something was up.

Please God let Monday bring the end to Elaine Joyst...promise I'll eat my spinach.

What a train wreck. :{

And Ben is not happy!!

http://blogs.crikey.com.au/planetalking/2014/12/13/qantas-hasnt-addressed-the-joyce-failures/

[Oldmate]

Just maybe the little man's replacement has been selected and these guys are going because it isn't them. Here's hoping for Fyfe.

[Derfred]

Ahh.. you got it.

[Spey]

I'd say the money on Fyfe sooner than later could be quite strong. Just sayin...;)

[V-Jet]

If that is the case, then why the change of heart? What is Cliffords role? Surely these guys havent just decided to stop losing money just like that?
Seems too much to hope for?

[Ollie Onion]

***Leaked Press Statement - Monday 15th December***

I am pleased to announce that after a substantial return to profit due to my fabulous transformational program I have taken the decision to award ALL the group CEO's which now just include myself and JH a massive Christmas Bonus. Some may question if this is the best time to use money in this way but you must remember that I should be rewarded for my expert steerage of the Company through such troubling times.

Accordingly I have decided to award myself a 'transformational business plan worked a treat and all round top guy' bonus of $37,000,000. Unfortunately this bonus (which I am sure you will all agree I am more than deserving of) will mean that staff bonuses and EBA negotiations will have to be delayed as it is important that we stay the course and don't risk the recovery with reckless spending.

With this in mind I am going to take the action of implementing another pay freeze of 18 months to allow me time to figure out how to hide all of the money we are now going to make... Have you seen the price of fuel? I thank the staff for all their efforts and am sure you all would like to thank me too.

AJ

[Spey]

Could not of written or portrayed it better Ollie. What a disgraceful and criminal mess.

The dishonesty is beyond laughable...

[Qantas 787]

Fyfe replacing AJ.......we are not that lucky. Getting him would be like Joyce or ding a fleet of 777s now

We all know the next in line is JH