Luxury Escapes co-founder and CEO Adam Schwab has expressed support for outgoing Webjet Group CEO Katrina Barry, who resigned from her post yesterday.
Speaking to Travel Weekly, Schwab commended Barry for her work at Webjet Group during a difficult time for travel.
“Katrina had one of the most difficult jobs in travel having to manage a demerged Webjet in what has been a really tricky period for the travel sector, she did an incredible job given the circumstances and the next CEO will have massive shoes to fill,” he said.
Barry’s departure comes less than two years after she and Webjet OTA CEO David Galt rang the ASX bell following the company’s demerger, marking a new chapter for the business as a standalone entity.
Her tenure was defined by an ambitious transformation agenda, including a top-to-bottom brand refresh and a strategy aimed at doubling total transaction value (TTV) by 2030. It was a mandate Barry was familiar with, having previously led Contiki through Covid and overseen a similar repositioning of the brand.
Her exit also follows a period of turbulence for the OTA, with Webjet Group recently confirming it had ceased takeover discussions with Helloworld Travel and BGH Capital after neither party submitted a binding offer. The process, which began in November 2025 following weaker-than-expected first half results, saw competing bids emerge from both shareholders.
However, her exit lands at a time of continued uncertainty for the group. Galt has also announced he will step down at the end of March, bringing an end to a near two-decade tenure with the business and around a decade leading the online travel agency division.
The dual leadership changes now raise fresh questions about Webjet’s next phase, particularly as the company emerges from a failed takeover process and attempts to execute its long-term strategy as a standalone business.
Schwab’s comments reflect a broader sentiment across the industry, where Barry is widely regarded as having taken on a complex leadership role amid shifting market conditions, rising costs and changing consumer demand.
While Webjet Group has yet to announce a successor, attention will now turn to who steps into the role and whether they continue Barry’s transformation strategy or pivot in a new direction.
OPINION: Caught between rebuild and buyout: was Katrina Barry’s exit inevitable?
