After 20 years in the software industry, I was given the opportunity to not only challenge myself in a new industry and step out of the software industry, I was given the chance to work with an iconic brand in Virgin Australia as General Manager, Corporate and Industry Sales responsible for all the direct revenue for the International and Domestic Airline.
In the last 12 months ,I have worked with some truely smart and customer obsessed people within, and side by side to the business, learnt much about the travel and airline industry, and made some great friends not only in Virgin but Etihad, Delta and Singapore airlines and industry giants like Flightcentre , Amex and CT Partners and met my earliest entrepreneur hero's Richard Branson and Graeme Turner.
In the last 12 months ,as reported publicly, with an increase in demand from corporate travellers ,launching a new route to Hong Kong from Melbourne, Economy X, In flight WiFi, re launching services to LA from Melbourne, winning Airline of the Year voted by the Travel Industry, I have been part of an amazing team and experiences , the core proposition of Virgin to its clients.
Source: ASX Jan 24th 2018
Having joined at a challenging time when the share price had fallen to a low of 16c , a year on that has risen steadily to 27c and climbing. As part of that team, I leave the brand better than we found it with a $1bn higher market cap and a positive momentum for 2018 and beyond ,re inforcing real choice in Australian Aviation for every consumer and business traveller , domestic and international.
Source: 2017 AGM Presentation - includes Trading Update
Further , with a positive free cash flow, increased revenues, new routes and services, I wish it and the staff and partnerships that made that happen, continued growth for the customers, industry partners, staff and shareholders who back the brand.
I have been given the opportunity to now work for one of the companies I have admired since first working with them in 2001, to contribute to change, not just one business, but every businesses, using the strategy/ technology/ digital capabilities within their brand and the people, technology and business skills I have acquired on my journey.
Today, I start work as Managing Director within Accenture. With global disruption creating new ways of creating value such as Bitcoin, Blockchain and Cloud to name a few, and with traditional business models being disrupted ( think MP3 players, Camcorders disrupted by Smartphones) and new business models ( think Uber / AirBnB, Hyperloop) , and new ways of doing business ( think Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Digital) Accenture is focused on every Australian and New Zealand business to help understand, align and deliver from strategy to operations to execution.
With deep industry, line of business and supporting innovation and technology capability ,Accenture has the capability and people to give me the opportunity to continue to learn and also be part of another amazing team helping make Australian businesses even better.