Qantas Airways appoints former Wesfarmers CE as chairman

Qantas Airways said Thursday it is appointing former Wesfarmers CE Richard Goyder as its new chairman from October, replacing long-serving chairman Leigh Clifford who is retiring at a time of record earnings at the airline. The airline underwent a dramatic financial turnaround during Clifford's tenure. Qantas has forecast it will report record full-year underlying earnings before tax of up to A$1.6b (US$1.18b) in August, although the outlook for airlines globally has been tempered by rising oil prices. Clifford, a former CE of miner Rio Tinto, was appointed 11 years ago and oversaw the selection of current CE Alan Joyce, who has been in his role for nearly 10 years. Goyder is also the chairman of Woodside Petroleum and the Australian Football League. <br/>