‘Right time to go’: Virgin Australia loyalty boss Nick Rohrlach departs as part of management shake-up

Virgin Australia has announced the departure of loyalty boss Nick Rohrlach as part of a management shake-up that will also see the exit of the airline’s chief strategy officer. Mr Rohrlach has served as chief of Virgin’s loyalty program Velocity since 2021, when he jumped shipped from rival Qantas in a move that sparked a legal battle between the two airlines. He will be replaced by Andrew Cleary, a former Qantas manager and finance journalist, who more recently led the global customer experience team for luxury hotel brand Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong. Mr Cleary will also take on the role as Virgin chief customer officer when he joins the airline on March 23. Virgin on Friday said Mr Rohrlach had decided now was the right time to leave the airline and prioritise the next chapter in his family life. He departs on April 30. Alistair Hartley, Virgin’s chief strategy and transformation officer, is set to also leave at the end of April. His replacement has not been announced. In early 2021, Qantas went to court to try and stop Mr Rohrlach from starting work with Virgin. Qantas’ concern about his career change stemmed from the fact he was in line for a senior role at Qantas’ own frequent flyer business and was privy to sensitive information. The legal action in the NSW Supreme Court aimed to force Mr Rohrlach to honour a non-compete restraint for six months, on top of three months notice. The legal stoush ended in 2022 when both carriers decided to walk away. Virgin chief executive Dave Emerson said Friday’s reshuffle was a continuation of the airline’s transformation strategy, following on from last year’s relisting on the Australian Securities Exchange, as well as the Qatar Airways partnership. “The board and management team would like to thank Nick Rohrlach and Alistair Hartley for their significant contribution to the airline, during some of the most challenging times as the aviation industry rebuilt post the pandemic,” he said. “Their leadership and commitment have been fundamental in shaping our teams, driving results, and building the culture we have today.” Mr Cleary said he was honoured to be joining Virgin during an exciting phase of the airline’s growth. Virgin is set to release half-year results on February 27. It returned to the ASX in June last year, debuting at $2.90. It shares were trading at $3.26 on Friday.