Alan Joyce (businessman) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alan Joyce
AC FTSE
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Joyce in 2014
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| Born | 30 June 1966 (age 59) |
| Nationality | Irish-Australian |
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| Occupation |
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| Organisation | Qantas |
| Spouse(s) |
Shane Lloyd
(m. 2019) |
Alan Joseph Joyce was born on June 30, 1966. He is an Irish-Australian businessman. He was the main leader, called the chief executive officer (CEO), of Qantas Airways Limited. He held this important role from 2008 until he stepped down on September 5, 2023.
Contents
Early Life and School
Joyce grew up in Tallaght, which is now a part of Dublin, Ireland. His mother worked as a cleaner, and his father worked in a tobacco factory. Alan went to St Mark's Community School for his secondary education.
He later studied at Dublin Institute of Technology and Trinity College Dublin. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics and Mathematics. He also received a Master of Science degree in Management Science. He is a special member of the Royal Aeronautical Society.
Career Journey
Starting His Career
In 1988, Alan Joyce began working at Aer Lingus, which is Ireland's main airline. He worked in many different areas, like sales, marketing, and planning flights. In 1996, he left Aer Lingus to join Ansett Australia. This airline is no longer in business.
In 2000, Joyce started working for Qantas. At both Ansett Australia and Qantas, he was in charge of planning flight routes and schedules. In October 2003, he became the CEO of Jetstar Airways, which is a part of Qantas.
Leading Qantas
Alan Joyce became the CEO of Qantas on November 28, 2008. He took over from Geoff Dixon. Joyce was also a director for other airlines like Jetstar Asia Airways and Jetstar Pacific Airlines.
Airline Safety Review
In 2010, there was a special review by the government about airline safety. This review looked into how low-cost airlines operate. Alan Joyce was asked to speak about an event that happened in 2007 when he was leading Jetstar.
On February 25, 2011, Joyce stated that safety was very important for all airlines in the Qantas Group. He said, "At Jetstar, we never compromise on safety. We would never accept anything less." He also explained that Qantas and Jetstar have different names but share the same high safety standards.
Work Disagreements at Qantas
On October 29, 2011, Qantas faced some disagreements with its workers. This happened after the airline announced job cuts and changes. Because of these issues, Joyce made the decision to stop all Qantas flights for a short time.
In 2011, a newspaper called The Australian named Joyce the most influential business leader. However, a survey after the flight grounding showed that people had a more negative view of Qantas.
Company Changes (2016–2017)
The Guardian reported that Alan Joyce's total pay package increased in the 2016-17 financial year. This happened after Qantas announced plans to cut 5,000 full-time jobs. The goal was to save $2 billion by the same financial year.
Pie Incident (2017)
On May 9, 2017, Alan Joyce was giving a speech in Perth. During his speech, a man named Tony Overheu pushed a lemon meringue pie into his face. Overheu later said he was sorry for embarrassing Joyce. He claimed he did it because he disagreed with Joyce's public support for marriage equality. The man was later found guilty of assault and other charges.
Later Years and Stepping Down
In May 2019, Joyce agreed to stay as Qantas CEO for three more years. When the COVID-19 pandemic started, Joyce gave up his salary for the rest of that financial year. In May 2023, he announced he would step down as CEO in November. Vanessa Hudson, who was the company's chief financial officer, was chosen to replace him.
In September 2023, there were reports that Qantas might have sold tickets for flights that had already been cancelled. Following these reports, Alan Joyce resigned early from his role on September 5, 2023. Vanessa Hudson became the new CEO the next day. In January 2024, Alan also resigned from the Sydney Theatre Company.
Awards and Recognition
- In 2011, The Australian newspaper called Joyce the most influential business leader.
- In 2012, he became a fellow of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering.
- Joyce is an ambassador for the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF). This group helps Indigenous students with their education.
- In 2017, he received the Companion of the Order of Australia (AC). This is Australia's highest civilian honor. He received it for his great service to the airline industry and tourism. He was also recognized for his work in promoting fairness, inclusion, and diversity, and for supporting Indigenous education.
Personal Life
Alan Joyce is Catholic. In 2015, he joined the Australian Republic Movement. This group believes Australia should become a republic with an Australian head of state instead of a monarchy.
In 2011, he received successful treatment for prostate cancer.
Joyce and his partner, Shane Lloyd, got married on November 2, 2019. They live in the Rocks, a suburb of Sydney.
Supporting Equal Rights
Alan Joyce has openly supported equal rights for all people. He personally gave $1 million to the campaign to make same-sex marriage in Australia legal. This allowed him to marry his partner in 2019. Joyce also supports the Pinnacle Foundation. This organization helps young Australians who face challenges because of who they are. He has been recognized globally for his work in this area. As Qantas CEO, Joyce promised that Qantas would continue to support social justice causes.
See also
- 2011 Qantas industrial disputes
- List of Dublin Institute of Technology people
