Former Jetstar Group chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka has resigned from the Qantas Group, where she currently serves as chief executive of Qantas Loyalty, to head up dairy business The a2 Milk Company.
Hrdlicka joined Qantas in 2010 as group executive of strategy and technology before being appointed as CEO of Jetstar in 2012.
“Jayne has made a tremendous contribution to the Qantas Group, and particularly to Jetstar, over the past seven years,” Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said in a statement on Thursday.
“Jetstar is now one of the world’s leading low-cost carriers and has delivered a series of record profits. Jayne has been instrumental in the expansion of Jetstar in Asia and she leaves with our best wishes for her next challenge.”
Hrdlicka became CEO of Qantas Loyalty on November 1 this year as part of a management reshuffle at the Qantas Group that saw former Qantas International chief Gareth Evans take on the Jetstar CEO role.
Qantas says a decision on replacement for Hrdlicka as Qantas Loyalty CEO is expected to be made “in due course next year”. She will remain in the role until she leaves the Group in March.
The Australian and New Zealand listed a2 Milk Company told the the ASX and NZX stock exchanges on Thursday afternoon that Hrdlicka would succeed Geoffrey Babidge as the company’s managing director and CEO. A2 is one of the dairy industry’s fastest growing companies and last month won the Deloitte Top 200 companies of the Year award in New Zealand.
“I am delighted to be joining the very talented and accomplished team at The a2 Milk Company as their new CEO,” Hrdlicka said.
“This is a strong and principled company with significant opportunity ahead and impressive momentum in each of its core markets. I look forward to working with Geoff to ensure we maintain his strong legacy through the transition.”
