New Virgin Blue CEO is announced!
 

Virgin Blue has just issued an alert for a conference at 11am this morning in Sydney for a "a significant announcement for the Virgin Blue Airlines Group".

Neil Chatfield, Chairman, Virgin Blue Holdings Limited, will hold the conference. Most past conferences are billed as being held with CEO Brett Godfrey.

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/wi...-imminent.html

Both the Oz and Fairfax expect John Borghetti to land the post.

It will be John Borghetti (formerly Head of Operations at Qantas under Geoff Dixon). I assume the announcement has been brought forward following the leaking of this to The Australian today.

Announcement: http://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/2010030...177rc52cdq.pdf

http://australianaviation.com.au/bor...be-new-vb-ceo/

Qanats CFO resigns
 

THE QANTAS Group is looking for a new chief financial officer after the surprise resignation today of Colin Storrie less than 18 months in the job.

Commenting on his resignation, Mr Storrie said he had made the decision reluctantly.

wonder what the true story is, will never know probably

Banjo

Wonder what Borghetti will get for his company car now? Another Porcshe 911?:D
Or something low cost?

I dont know about his car but he will get JOB SATISFACTION.

To me it is a big signal about where Virgin wants to go. Borghetti was very focussed on product and product quality when he was at Qantas, and I think it signals the fact that Virgin will continue its push upmarket, the expansion of V Australia etc.

Given that Virgin is set for a brand revamp (or even more than that) this year, I couldn't think of a better person to have at the helm.

Well Andrew, Virgin think he is worth the top job and Qantas didnt !!!.

Regardless of the facts or excuses that is the fine line he is the NO 1 man and i think he would be very happy about that.

Cheers Lloyd

This is an excellent appointment and certainly good news for the Virgin Blue group of companies. He has an immense knowledge of the local industry and is similarly well versed on foreign operators and markets.

I suspect that the Virgin Blue of the future will be a little different to the Virgin Blue we know today. Is this a good thing? I dare say it will be.

He was just on the news and looked extremely happy.

Yes we all started as mail boys or girls back in the 70's that is how it was done those days and yes most of us only had a handful of jobs or less in our working lifetime.

However staying in 1 job for 36 years was and is a major achievement.I only made 29 years myself.

I think it must have been an irresistible for him to be offered a role in an Australian airline and also a chance to go against the man who beat him to the top job at Qantas. Very interesting times ahead

Yep, I'd say that's a pretty genuine smile :D

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...tuff/jb_vb.jpg

I certainly think Borghetti has more talent with the industry than Toomey!

would totally agree here.......
Virgin wants a greater slice of the business travel market and the lucrative government contracts...a comment substantiated by Godfrey several weeks ago wherein he said that if Virgin do not get a greater slice of the government/business marker following tenders, they will at least bring down the margins QF makes in this market - a win/win he said.....
The International market........ certainly one would think that VA will grow under Borghetti and will certainly take on QF in this area but you also have to remember, JQ have recruited agressively recently and they grw under Alan Joyce so maybe VA might not get it all their own way.....

Colin Storrie leaving QF??
I think maybe we should read between the lines......
Paper today reported that Borghetti had his own hand picked team when he was with QF - you would have to rightly assume he will do the same here - no doubt there will be a lot more Borghetti supporters reading to fly the coup.

Strange to see Borghetti without a tie. He used to be a very snappy dresser in a Zegna suit. I assume he has now thrown away all of his ties and is heading down to Country Road for some casual chinos and some sports coats.

I agree that he will be a good acquisition for DJ particularly if it wants to improve its offering to business and government. I guess the fine line he has to walk is growing the business without losing too many customers off the bottom to Jetstar and Tiger.

I wouldn't expect DJ to morph into a full-service airline and instead to keep a lot of its user pays services. Godfrey has intimated that they were going to fiddle with their Y+ product so you can expect some change here but I wouldn't expect it to turn into the type of product VX currently offers in First Class (apparently excellent) unless there is substantial proof that they can fill these seats throughout the day, not just a peak times between MEL and SYD.

Could this be the start of a big change in the Australian airline industry? Looks like it could be...

if it needs Virgin Blue to get a new CEO to effect a a big change in the Australian airline industry shows how inept the current management is!!

They should have done it already

Banjo

ps and I don't believe the current management is inept

AS an aside, VBA share price is up 5.5% today also....

8.6% at $0.695 now.

Wheres Godfrey going ?

I believe he hasn't announced anything. He would be quite wealthy following given the shares in VBA and Toll he has accumulated over the journey. He will probably look to becoming a director on company boards. I'd expect that a board membership on something like Virgin Group is a certainty.

I've heard the esteemed Messrs Hoover & Dyson are in talks...

Very amusing Grant. :D

Flag making?

The appointment has certainly created a positive response out there in the aviation cyber world. Another discussion board site that is renowned for tearing those in the industry to pieces has been nothing but non-stop praise for the man and the appointment. I think 36 years loyalty at management level to the one employer in this day and age says it all. Looking good !

Certainly superb for (us) shareholders!!
Now 71.5c (Mine cost 19c average after 1 for 1)

Good work all round and seems to be a very good replacement for a very good incumbent!

Only time will tell but , maybe, Qantas will start to look after its customers and shareholders instead of treating them like numbers!

Bluex

I have had reason to communicate with JB several years back.

He was excellent.


Cannot say any thing else than it is a great appt in my eyes.

Kind regards,

Geoff

Details of Borghetti's remuneration are available now via the ASX website. Click on PDF from this link. Wish I was on his package!!!!!!

http://www.asx.com.au/asx/statistics...ame=D&period=T

i'd Rather his salary :D:D

Nuffin like a big package I've always said..........

becoming more evident DJ aligning itself with the business market - believe they are currently or are planning tendering on government contracts...
budget also noted pollies are being stripped of FF points and perhaps business lounge priveleges..... this will cost QF a few dollars and with the travel agents belting QF for more commish by the courts, QF may get a little worried........ and with TT expanding JQ may start to feel the pinch......
I am sure the experts will add to this