Virgin Atlantic appoints Chief Digital and Information Officer to accelerate digital innovation

Virgin Atlantic has announced Alex Alexander to the new role of Chief Digital & Information Officer (CDIO), joining the travel company from 13 April 2026 to lead its next phase of digital transformation as a premium, long haul flag carrier.

New Role:
Virgin Atlantic has appointed Alex Alexander as Chief Digital & Information Officer (CDIO).

Start Date:
13 April 2026.

Background:
- Former Group CTO at Emirates Group.
- Group CIO at YOOX NET-A-PORTER.
- Group Chief Product & Technology Officer at Adevinta.
- Leadership roles at WalmartLabs.
- Founder & CEO of XOOTS, an AI-driven talent recruitment platform.

Responsibilities
- Lead Technology, Digital Development, Data, AI, and Transformation.
- Drive enterprise-level technology strategy as part of the executive leadership team.
- Accelerate Virgin Atlantic’s digital transformation, focusing on customer experience, operational excellence, and revenue opportunities.

Strategic Context
- Virgin Atlantic is investing heavily in AI and digital innovation, partnering with Microsoft and Databricks.
- Recently launched a new app integrated with Virgin Atlantic Concierge, an AI-powered travel planning companion.
- CEO Corneel Koster emphasized that Alexander’s expertise will help deliver smarter operations and more personalized customer service.

Company Snapshot
- Founded in 1984 by Sir Richard Branson.
- Operates flights to 28 destinations, with a strong transatlantic network alongside Delta, Air France-KLM.
- Member of SkyTeam Alliance since 2023.
- Recognized for sustainability leadership, aiming for Net Zero by 2050.
- Fleet: one of the youngest in the industry, average age 6.9 years.

This appointment signals Virgin Atlantic’s intent to scale AI and digital capabilities as a core differentiator in premium long-haul travel.