SYDNEY (Reuters) – Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd CEO Paul Scurrah will be replaced within weeks by Jayne Hrdlicka, the former head of Qantas’ budget offshoot Jetstar, as new owner Bain looks to draw in more travellers with a “hybrid” strategy.
The management change at Virgin, to be effective soon after its sale to Bain Capital is completed next month, will set the stage for a battle with unions, who support Scurrah’s vision for the full-service carrier and are concerned it will be taken downmarket under the U.S. private equity group’s ownership.
Scurrah had clashed with Bain over wanting to maintain a more premium offering than desired by the U.S. firm, two people with knowledge of the matter said on condition of anonymity.
