Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) has appointed long-standing team member Allisa O’Connell as its new Global Lead of People & Culture, effective immediately.
O’Connell has been with the company for almost 37 years, rising through the ranks from early retail days to most recently holding several senior leadership positions across People & Culture.
In announcing the move, O’Connell said she was honoured to take on the role at a pivotal time for the business, particularly as it prepares for the global rollout of Workday, a major HR systems transformation.
From shop floor to global core: Allisa’s 37-year rise at FCTG
Describing herself as a “product of BOF” (FCTG’s Brightness of Future philosophy), O’Connell reflected on the breadth of opportunities she’s been offered during her tenure.
“My 19-year-old self could never have imagined I would be here now, nor have this opportunity to be in my dream role,” she said.
“I have always been given opportunities to step into roles, acquire new skills, while bringing leadership and desire to contribute.”
O’Connell joined FCTG in the late 1980s and has held a wide range of people-focused roles, including within leadership development, operational support, and most recently, organisational culture and strategy.
According to FCTG, she has played a key role in shaping the company’s internal culture, championing programs that support career development and people-first leadership across the business.
Steering the ship through Workday waters
The appointment comes as FCTG gears up for the implementation of Workday, a major shift in how the business manages and supports its global workforce.
“This is an exciting time for People & Culture in our business, and I am privileged to have this role now,” O’Connell said.
“Watch this space as we ensure our people are the heart of our success at FCTG.”
The Workday project is expected to streamline HR processes, enhance employee experience, and provide greater insights for leaders across FCTG’s operations.
O’Connell will oversee the rollout of the platform globally, while continuing to drive cultural initiatives and talent strategies aligned to the company’s broader transformation goals.
Still a Flightie: How 37 years inside FCTG shaped a people-first leader
Even after nearly four decades with Flight Centre Travel Group, Allisa O’Connell still refers to herself as a Flightie. Her deep roots in the business have helped shape her approach to leadership: practical, people-focused and grounded in firsthand experience.
And it’s that experience of the company’s career development framework that has given O’Connell a unique perspective on what employees need to grow and succeed.
KARRYON UNPACKS: With nearly four decades inside the Flight Centre system, Allisa O’Connell brings rare continuity and institutional knowledge to a critical global leadership role. Her appointment signals that FCTG is not only focused on systems transformation via Workday but also on sustaining its people-first philosophy during change.
