Out Gay Qantas CEO Alan Joyce Announces Departure From Airline
Image: Alan Joyce, CEO, Qantas. Photo: Bianca De Marchi/ AAP Image
Out gay Qantas CEO Alan Joyce announced his departure from the airline on Tuesday, paving the way for the company’s first female CEO Vanessa Hudson to take over when he retires in November 2023.听
Joyce has led Qantas for around 15 years as Group CEO. 鈥淎t the Board鈥檚 request, I extended my time as CEO to see through the COVID recovery plan, so now that we鈥檙e on the other side of that crisis it鈥檚 a logical time for me to step down. There鈥檚 still a lot I want to deliver in the next six months and at the top of that list is ensuring a smooth handover to Vanessa, who I鈥檓 sure will excel in the role,鈥� Joyce said in a statement.听
“There鈥檚 not many female CEOs in the worldwide aviation industry and it鈥檚 a credit to this country that a gay man was appointed 15 years ago to be CEO of the company,鈥� .听
Marriage Equality Campaign
Joyce was an outspoken campaigner during the 2017 marriage equality vote and personally donated $1 million to the ‘Yes’ campaign. In October 2017, he was named the world’s most influential LGBTQI business executive.听
“As an openly gay man and being the leader of this organisation and a high profile business leader in Australia, I felt it was very important that I led by example and was out there promoting the case,” .听 in 2019.听
Joyce has faced homophobic attacks, including for his support of the marriage equality campaign. In 2017, then-senior minister and current .听
In May 2021, , after airline staff refused her entry into the Chairman’s Lounge at Melbourne Airport.听
Qantas Success Credited To Joyce
Chairman Richard Goyder credited Joyce for steering the airline during troubled times.听
鈥淢uch of the credit for the bright future in front of Qantas goes to Alan. He鈥檚 faced more than his fair share of challenges as CEO and he鈥檚 managed them exceptionally well 鈥� from the GFC, to record oil prices, to intense competitive pressures and the COVID crisis,” Goyder said in a statement.听
鈥淎lan has done a superb job of leading a team that is absolutely committed to the national carrier鈥檚 long-term success and it鈥檚 from that team that his successor has been chosen,鈥� added Goyder.
Good Riddance.
He cared nothing about the front line workers ( crew) and only cared about one thing, his pet projects.
I hope Vanessa Hudson is paid at the same rate as Alan Joyce.