Jane Hrdlicka leaves Virgin Australia management

Virgin Australia Holdings has announced that Jane Hrdlicka has decided to step down as CEO, despite the airline returning to profitability in 2023 and a strong start in 2024.

After nearly four years of intense work and transformation since the dual challenges of management and the emergence of COVID-19, Jane advised that now is the right time to ensure succession is in place to take the company through a future initial public offering (IPO). And beyond, according to the airline.

Now Virgin Australia's board will soon begin a global search for a new CEO.

Hrdlicka led Virgin Australia from 2020, after Bain Capital took the airline out of administration and with support from Virgin Group during the COVID-19 pandemic, guiding the company out of the unprecedented lockdown period and back to normal business.

During this period, the airline has been repositioned as a value airline and rebuilt to offer travelers great choice and value while returning the airline to profitability and a sustainable future.

“I have decided that the time is right to signal the CEO transition of this great company and ultimately take over the baton,” Hrdlicka said.

He added that he did not take this decision lightly, but said that the past four years had been a great effort for the entire organization during the most difficult times.

“We are in the middle of the next phase of our transformation programme, and there is a lot to do and IPO to complete. The next phase of this journey takes another 3 to 5 years, making now the ideal time to begin the leadership transition,” he concluded.