"In the last few weeks, the focus on Qantas and events of the past make it clear to me that the company needs to move ahead with its renewal as a priority," said Alan Joyce, who served as the airline's CEO for 15 years. Chairman Richard Goyder said the executive transition came at a "challenging time" for the airline and its staff. "We have an important job to do in restoring the public's confidence in the kind of company we are, and that's what the board is focused on, and what the management under Vanessa's leadership will do," Goyder said in a statement. Qantas announced a raft of leadership changes in June 2023, with an aim of increasing focus on key areas as the airline completed its post-COVID recovery.