Dave Emerson Appointed as CEO of Virgin Australia

[twinaisle]

Dave Emerson appointed as CEO

 

[oz_mark]

From Reuters:

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/virgin-australia-appoints-dave-emerson-ceo-2025-03-05/

Dave Emerson is currently Chief Commercial Officer.

 

[RooFlyer]

From Reuters:
https://www.reuters.com/business/ae...stralia-appoints-dave-emerson-ceo-2025-03-05/

This is probably relevant

Dave Emerson had joined the airline in 2021 and has previously led Bain & Company's global airline practice, based in Dallas.

Perfect to manage corporate stuff, incl offshore. Bain acquired Virgin in 2020.

A senior Bain partner, no less (& American)

Bain partner Dave Emerson joins executive team of Virgin

Virgin Australia has announced the appointment of Bain & Company senior partner Dave Emerson as its new Chief Commercial Officer, with Emerson having been aiding the carrier since last year.

www.consultancy.com.au

 

[kpc]

Yup

Virgin Australia gets a new chief executive

The new appointment will replace Jayne Hrdlicka, who announced she was stepping down a year ago, and ticks another box for Virgin to list on the Australian sharemarket.

www.smh.com.au

 

[Lucass]

Awesome! Can't wait to see VA continue to grow over the next few years under his leadership.

 

[Lucass]

A bit off topic, but when will VA release their half-year earnings/financial results? I know Qantas did last week but does anyone have any info about VA?

 

[AIRwin]

A bit off topic, but when will VA release their half-year earnings/financial results? I know Qantas did last week but does anyone have any info about VA?

Post in thread 'Virgin profit results'

Wednesday at 12:49 PM

Some details in this story

Virgin appoints former Bain consultant new CEO, posts record result

The announcement [about Emerson as CEO] came after Virgin told staff the airline’s first half was the best on record, reporting underlying earnings of $439 million off revenues of $3 billion in the six months to December 31.

The result represents earnings before interest and tax margins of 14.4 per cent, just shy of Qantas domestic division’s 16 per cent and the 18 per cent recorded by its low-cost subsidiary, Jetstar.

“This is an increase of 2.3 per cent points on last year’s...

• RooFlyer

 

[Lucass]

Post in thread 'Virgin profit results'

Wednesday at 12:49 PM

Some details in this story

Virgin appoints former Bain consultant new CEO, posts record result

The announcement [about Emerson as CEO] came after Virgin told staff the airline’s first half was the best on record, reporting underlying earnings of $439 million off revenues of $3 billion in the six months to December 31.

The result represents earnings before interest and tax margins of 14.4 per cent, just shy of Qantas domestic division’s 16 per cent and the 18 per cent recorded by its low-cost subsidiary, Jetstar.

“This is an increase of 2.3 per cent points on last year’s...

• RooFlyer

Thank you! Great result by VA, really awesome to see them doing well post-covid.

 

[clifford]

A senior Bain partner, no less (& American)

It doesn't bode well, then.

 

[HS-TQE]

It doesn't bode well, then.

I'd tip he'd be a short term CEO at most as he'd there until the first IPO is initiated and ready to go and/or more direct trade sales are initiated (subject to FIRB clearance if another foreign investor).

He'd probably would move on once Bain's stake falls below 50%

 

[moa999]

Different Bain's..

Both JH and DE came from the management consulting side (think McKinsey etc).

Bain Capital is a separate entity founded in 1984, by some partners from Bain & Co., but is now very much a standalone private equity firm (like say KKR).

But I certainly wouldn't be expecting any drastic changes. He's been with Virgin Aus for over three years so wouldn't necessarily see it as short term.

 

[jase05]

This is the same clown who wanted to remove J from all VA aircraft and shut down down all lounges.
Let’s hope he has a different perspective these days

 

[RooFlyer]

I'd tip he'd be a short term CEO at most as he'd there until the first IPO is initiated and ready to go and/or more direct trade sales are initiated (subject to FIRB clearance if another foreign investor).

Thats been my thinking. Corporate guy until the IPO, then an 'operator' (although Emerson has had some airline time).

This is the same clown who wanted to remove J from all VA aircraft and shut down down all lounges.
Let’s hope he has a different perspective these days

Hadn't heard that! Can you point me to where I can read more?

 

[Lucass]

This is the same clown who wanted to remove J from all VA aircraft and shut down down all lounges.
Let’s hope he has a different perspective these days

wow! did he really say that?

 

[simmomelb]

wow! did he really say that?

I'm unaware of this and certainly don't recall, nor can I find any articles relating to him wanting to do this (happy to be corrected).
But he did close the Cairns and Darwin lounges, I believe. This was all post-COVID, so it was important at that time to get back to basics and remove any unnecessary overheads.

 

[jase05]

I'm unaware of this and certainly don't recall, nor can I find any articles relating to him wanting to do this (happy to be corrected).
But he did close the Cairns and Darwin lounges, I believe. This was all post-COVID, so it was important at that time to get back to basics and remove any unnecessary overheads.

I can’t find any record of it in the media but I distinctly recall him saying when he first took on the role at VA that he believed VA should model itself on the US LCC model and do away with lounges and J product.

 

[eastwest101]

I can’t find any record of it in the media but I distinctly recall him saying when he first took on the role at VA that he believed VA should model itself on the US LCC model and do away with lounges and J product.

It was reported in the Business section of The Australian that he was indeed among those keen to eliminate J class from VA aircraft entirely and I would expect he might have been part of the decision-making team about the DRW and CNS lounges. Spent some time in management at Southwest Airlines in the USA. I expect the cost of removing J class seats and the shortage of Y seats was probably the only reason why this didn't happen in the early administration days of Virgin during Covid. i.e. they probably wanted to but couldn't afford to do so

 

[Lucass]

It was reported in the Business section of The Australian that he was indeed among those keen to eliminate J class from VA aircraft entirely and I would expect he might have been part of the decision-making team about the DRW and CNS lounges. Spent some time in management at Southwest Airlines in the USA. I expect the cost of removing J class seats and the shortage of Y seats was probably the only reason why this didn't happen in the early administration days of Virgin during Covid. i.e. they probably wanted to but couldn't afford to do so

Interesting. VA's business class cabin always seems to be full or mostly full whenever I fly with them, I would think they would want to retain business class

 

[drron]

Interesting. VA's business class cabin always seems to be full or mostly full whenever I fly with them, I would think they would want to retain business class

But maybe with a few upgraders. I have been offered to place a bid for J on every VA flight I take. At least get a bit extra and my minimum bid of $95 has never been accepted.

 

[AIRwin]

But maybe with a few upgraders. I have been offered to place a bid for J on every VA flight I take. At least get a bit extra and my minimum bid of $95 has never been accepted.

What route? I've had success with a minimum bid of $65 - twice!