Qantas names Leigh Clifford chairman to succeed Margaret Jackson

QANTAS Airways chairman Margaret Jackson will be replaced by Leigh Clifford on her retirement in November.

Mr Clifford will fill a casual non-executive director vacancy on the Qantas Board with immediate effect.

"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," Ms Jackson said.

Mr Clifford stepped down from the board of London-based Rio Tinto and retired as chief executive at the end of April before accepting this new position. His executive and board career with Rio Tinto spanned 37 years, including positions as director of Rio Tinto plc and Rio Tinto Limited for 13 and 12 years respectively. Mr Clifford also occupied a wide variety of operational and marketing roles in the coal and metalliferous operations of the group in Australia and overseas.Mr Clifford has served as a non-executive director of Barclays Bank since October 2004 and was appointed to the Bechtel Board of Counsellors in May 2007. He was formerly a member of the Coal Industry Advisory Board of the International Energy Agency for a number of years and its chairman from 1998 to 2000. He was also previously a director of Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. Mr Clifford holds a masters of engineering from the University of Melbourne.

"I have watched the aviation industry and Qantas over the years and have great admiration for Qantas and the team at Qantas. I have given the invitation a great deal of thought and am enthusiastic about working with Margaret Jackson, the board and management through a smooth transition period and leading the board as its chairman from November," Mr Clifford said.

Mr Clifford will return to Australia permanently in November after completing his commitments with Rio Tinto, a Qantas statement said.