Australian airline Qantas on Thursday named former Rio Tinto chief executive Leigh Clifford as its new chairman to replace Margaret Jackson when she retires in November. Qantas said Clifford would join the airline's board as a casual non-executive director immediately before taking over in three months.
"I am personally delighted to be passing the mantle of Qantas Chairman to someone of Leigh's calibre and look forward to working closely with Leigh to ensure a smooth transition on my retirement," Jackson said in a statement.
Jackson announced she was stepping down in May amid a shareholder backlash over her strong support for a private equity take-over bid for the airline that failed spectacularly after shareholders decided it undervalued the company. Clifford resigned from Rio Tinto in April after 37 years with the resources giant.