Vanessa Hudson

Vanessa Hudson took over Qantas, Australia’s flagship airline, with a mission: to restore trust after her predecessor, Alan Joyce, resigned amid numerous scandals. Two years on, that turnaround appears to be bearing fruit. Qantas reported $595 million in post-tax profit for the six months ending December, a 6% year-on-year increase. Shares are up more than 50% over the past year, making Qantas one of the best performers in the aviation industry. Hudson has spent three decades at the Australian airline, including serving as its CFO. Since taking over as CEO, she spent time listening to staff, regulators, and former critics.

The next step for Qantas? Project Sunrise, an ambitious plan to fly nonstop from Sydney to London and New York, a 19-hour direct flight that’s so long Qantas had to buy special Airbus jets with extra fuel and a “wellness space” for passengers to stretch their legs.