Ex-Virgin Australia contender would run Virgin Mark II - AFR
John Thomas, still in the game and keen for a shot...
That could be a hard choice Scurrah or Thomas.
Both offer alot to a born again Virgin..
Scurrah was going to be a transformational CEO, restructure, reorganise. He was the knife. Almost reminds me of Rob Fyfe.
Thomas has a innate understanding on airline markets, yield and products. He was going to increase the yield per passenger earnt, hence Economy X and inflight wi-fi.
John Thomas helped save the US airline industry. Can he steady Virgin Australia? By Patrick Hatch
April 16, 2017 — 5.03pm
As far as corporate nicknames go, you could do better than The Bagman.
But John Thomas, Virgin Australia's second in charge, doesn't shy away from the moniker and how he earned it.
"We will continue to aggressively ask for slots, but slots are just so hard to come by," group executive John Thomas says.
Photo: Peter Rae
It was mid-2007, oil was on an unprecedented surge towards $US148 ($A195) a barrel and American airlines were teetering on the edge.
"Oil was going through the roof and basically the North American airline industry was about to go totally bankrupt," Thomas recalls.
Virgin Australia did the deal last year.
Photo: Tian Law
Thomas was working for consulting firm L.E.K. out of Boston advising US airline how to ride out the financial storm unleased by the September 11 attacks.
Google that article from the Sydney Morning Herald.
I think he could be the man to restart Virgin. He understands the market, and need need for mass appeal and to cater to every section of the traveling public and how to do it well.
If you wanted a hybrid competitor to QANTAS, he's your man. I'm not sure if Scurrah has that vision as he was mostly focusing on the organisational structure of Virgin. If the two could work together that would be great but the two are very different phases of CEOs.
Thomas I believe, fell out with Borghetti after they had a massive disagreement over the cash burn at the time which was tied to the "Game Change" program to go full service. He was really concerned. Borghetti then fairly much pushed him out. Thomas didn't jump, he was pushed when he left Virgin and treated badly by Borghetti.
Borghetti's time at VAH is a perfect case study for a MBA when a CEO doesn't enter into the position without an exit strategy or a clear business goal of what they want to achieve. As I've said, it was personal with Borghetti. Captain Ahab. And he was the one that doomed Virgin. He stayed on too long and his judgement was clouded. Yeah I have alot of angst against Borghetti. He set out what was difficult enough, the transformation of Virgin Blue into full service Virgin Australia, and he should have stopped and walked away after that. Then handed it to John Thomas. I would have respected Borghetti a lot more had he had done that.
Could Scurrah have pulled it off hasn't Corona virus arrived? Guess we'll never know. But I think he had a good chance.
Last edited by WayTooLong:
Must stop writing on my phone...23/04/20
VAH Price at posting:
8.6¢ Sentiment: Sell Disclosure: Not Held
