Though it may have been brief, Maria Cheung’s time on the Qantas Super Board was certainly eventful.
The former Head of Wine and Retail Operations at Qantas Loyalty, Maria was elected as Group E Director in February 2020 and formally appointed to the Board the following month. This coincided with the spread of the pandemic around the world, and the stand down of thousands of staff across the Qantas Group.
“It was one of the most complex situations the Board has ever had to work through,” Maria explained. “From understanding the impact of the stand down on super, to navigating the market volatility, and Qantas Super getting ready to bring a new insurer on board, it was a very busy time.”
Despite the baptism of fire, Maria said it was a privilege to serve on the Board through this time.
“Our focus was always on how we could best protect and support our members. Seeing everything that we were able to do for members despite the challenges of the pandemic, and seeing the fantastic investment results we achieved for members through the 2020/21 financial year, feels good,” she said.
In addition to delivering exceptional investment returns to members over 2020/21, through Maria’s time on the Board Qantas Super lowered administration fees for members in Gateway and Divisions 6 and 7, launched a new low-cost investment option, and committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions across our investment portfolio by 2050.