Virgin Australia has appointed well-known APAC comms and marketing leader Matthew Ongarello as Group Head of Public Relations & Brand, marking his return to the airline and Australia after a stint as Head of News with Virgin Group in London.
Ongarello will oversee public relations, brand strategy and creative direction for Virgin Australia and Velocity Frequent Flyer as Group Head of PR & Brand.
He will be key in shaping the airline and loyalty program’s external reputation and strengthening its brand positioning, following recent changes to both brands, including the new Qatar Airways partnership.
Ongarello brings extensive experience and expertise to the role from working across Virgin Group’s global portfolio and holding senior positions within the VA Corporate Affairs and PR teams.
VA Chief Marketing Officer Libby Minogue said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Matthew back to the Virgin Australia family.”
“Matthew’s deep understanding of the Virgin brand, combined with his international experience across the Virgin Group portfolio, makes him the perfect person to lead our PR and Brand team during this exciting period of growth.
“Matthew’s passion for aviation and storytelling, along with his proven track record of building meaningful connections between brands and people, will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen Virgin Australia’s position as Australia’s most loved airline,” she said.
Ongarello said: “It’s a privilege to come home to Virgin Australia. Aviation has a way of capturing you and never letting go. My first role at Virgin Australia was behind the check-in counter at Melbourne Airport while I was studying at RMIT, and I’m honoured to now come full circle as Group Head of PR and Brand.”
“I look forward to leading our incredible PR, Brand and Creative Services teams as we continue to tell the Virgin Australia story in a way that inspires our people, partners and guests.”
Find out more at virginaustralia.com
