Qantas names John Mullen new chairman-elect as airline looks to restore reputation

QANTAS Airways said on Wednesday John Mullen will join the company board as chairman-elect from July 1, and replace its outgoing chair Richard Goyder ahead of the Australian flag carrier’s annual general meeting in October.

Mr. Mullen is currently the chairman at Treasury Wine Estate as well as independent and non-executive chair at logistics firm Brambles.

He also served on the board of Telstra for 15 years, before retiring as chairman after the telecom major’s annual meeting last October.

Treasury Wine and Brambles did not immediately respond to a Reuters’ request for comment over the status of Mr. Mullen’s role in both companies following the fresh appointment at Qantas.

The New South Wales-based carrier also appointed Nora Scheinkestel as a non-executive director and chair of Qantas’ remuneration committee.

The appointments, which came in four months after Qantas said Mr. Goyder would step down in late 2024, are a part of the airline’s board renewal to restore trust among investors and fix its battered reputation.

Mr. Goyder, who became chairman in 2018, has previously fought against pressure to resign including from the airline’s pilots, saying that he had followed high ethics throughout his career.

Alan Joyce, who was Qantas’ chief executive officer for 15 years, retired early last September after a public backlash. The airline had said Mr. Joyce’s exit would help “accelerate its renewal,” giving the sense of a company bowing to public and political pressure after years of weathering it.

The carrier has been facing challenges in recent times, with the High Court of Australia in September dismissing its appeal against a judgement that found Qantas had cut jobs unlawfully.

The ruling came days after Australia’s competition regulator sued the carrier over selling fake seats.

Qantas is set to report its half-year earnings on Feb. 22.