Jayne Hrdlicka will step down as CEO of Virgin Australia after four years at the helm, the airline has confirmed.
Appointed in 2020 following Virgin Australia’s administration and subsequent acquisition by Bain Capital, Hrdlicka announced her resignation in a statement on Tuesday.
The company announced it will shortly initiate the process to find a successor for the CEO position.
“I have decided the time is right for me to signal CEO transition for this great airline and ultimately to pass the baton on,” Hrdlicka said in a statement.
“This is not a decision I have taken lightly, but the last 4 years have been heavy lifting across the organisation during the toughest of times. We are in the midst of the next phase of our transformation program and there is a lot to do and an IPO to deliver.
“The next phase of this journey is another 3-5 years, making now the perfect juncture to begin the process of leadership transition to deliver the next few chapters of what I’m sure will be a significant long-term success story.”
Virgin Australia Chairman Ryan Cotton praised Hrdlicka for returning the airline to profitability for the first time in 11 years.
“To do this required a lot of heavy lifting and the rebuild of many parts of our organisation. A big part of this was resetting our talent pipeline for the long-term, which serves us very well now. These are significant achievements, and we will soon commence looking for a new CEO to continue our transformation journey,” Cotton said.
“The Board and I respect Jayne’s decision and know she is very committed to ensuring our continued success. We are grateful for her continued leadership while we plan for successful CEO transition.
