HIGH Flier


Steve Limbrick, regional
general manager,
SE Asia, Qantas and
BA, photographed at
his of?ce in June 2008

Both a frequent business traveller and in the business of travel, Steve Limbrick is the regional general manager, SouthEast Asia for Qantas and British Airways. CONNECT talks to Steve about his jet-setting life and the challenges of his work

Steve has been a Qantas (QF) employee for 21 years. Holding management positions in Alice Springs and Gove in Australia’s Northern Territory – as well as stints in Canberra, Darwin and Sydney – since 2003 he has taken commercial responsibility for Qantas’ and BA’s South-East Asian markets (Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, India, Indonesia and the Philippines).

Describe your responsibilities at QF/BA.

My role is mainly commercial: revenue, sales, marketing and people. Because Qantas and BA have a unique joint-service agreement between Australia and the UK, I look after their joint interests here. I also have a broader scope of responsibility for Qantas, and its customer service delivery through our airports.

What does your typical working day involve?

Because I deal with Australia and the UK, our office gets various correspondence overnight, but the first thing I do when I get in to work at around 7.30am is a snapshot of the media, to see what’s happening in the marketplace. Then I spend the rest of the day dealing with issues like fare initiatives, marketing and products, or people challenges. Underlying these are strategic decisions, like where do we want to be and how long will it take to get there. I also try and do some form of exercise every day.

Which media do you consult during the day?

After a quick scan through The Straits Times and The Business Times, I watch Channel NewsAsia and the Australia Network, as they pick up what’s happening in this market.

I also flick through CNN/BBC and look out for any relevant web articles that have come out overnight. At lunchtime I like to have a sandwich at my desk and see what news has broken through the morning, including a look through some of the online travel-trade sites. Which aspect of your work do you most enjoy?

Dealing with a whole range of diverse, dedicated people across the region, all with different challenges in their particular environments is extremely interesting. I also love the challenge of the industry – it’s a pretty exciting one to be in; ever changing, you’ve got to be agile and make decisions fairly quickly. The diversity that I get with both airlines adds another dimension.

The current oil-price spike must be bringing yet another set of challenges?

It’s bringing challenges for everybody. Thankfully the airlines I represent are both globally recognised brands with very strong balance sheets and are in a solid position to move forward.

Have you found much difference in management style in Australia and Asia? The basic principles of management are the same, in terms of working with people and communication, seeking engagement, ensuring they understand the business. There are just slightly different styles in terms of how these things are delivered. The key for us is to ensure that our teams know how the businesses are performing, not only here, but all over the world. Understanding the business and its performance in a global context makes a difference in how staff can accept and drive forward decisions made.

Do you think that living in Asia has changed the way you work?

I think there’s a change in the way you deal with people in different environments… working in South-East Asia makes you more understanding of other people’s cultures – a really helpful position to be in.

How frequently do you travel for business?

Around once every two to three weeks. That could be from Australia to the UK, but generally within the region. I tend to do a lot of day trips to Bangkok, Jakarta or other nearby destinations.

Which of your markets do you most enjoy visiting on business?

All the countries I represent are unique.

I enjoy Vietnam (pictured above); it’s an interesting destination because of the way in which it has grown and the buzz around it right now. I always like going to Thailand, and though slightly more challenging from a travel perspective, India is up there too – the whole business environment is absolutely booming and changing so much – though it’s extremely competitive.

What do you do for relaxation?

I try and spend time with the family, which is a little more challenging now that my son is at uni in Melbourne. I watch a variety of sports and play the occasional game of golf.

I also recently returned to cricket for the opportunity of playing with and meeting people who’re in a similar position to me – on the cricket field everyone’s equal; you forget the whole work environment.

What type of holidays do you take?

We love going home to visit family, but we’ve tried to balance that with seeing as much of the region as possible. My wife’s family has a farm in northern NSW so we can get quite a different experience just by being home. Does your family enjoy living in Singapore? It’s been a wonderful opportunity for the family; my wife Sandy enjoys it here and our kids Scott and Samantha were at a good age to step into a new environment. We’d moved a few times in Australia so moving wasn’t unusual for them, but being overseas was. Singapore provided a good platform for them to continue their education. The fact that people from diverse backgrounds come together here is great too.

If you weren’t at Qantas, what would you be? Probably a farmer! It was a circuitous route to get here, and it’s likely that if things hadn’t progressed the way they did we could have been back working the farm. With the current drought in Australia, it’s probably a good thing it all worked out.

Travel Lite

What are your favourite travelling tunes?

I put a selection of songs on my MP3 player for months at a time and random-play them – anything from rock, to country to pop.

What are your essential carry-on items when on a business trip?

Always swimmers and goggles, and a camera for a longer stay.

What was your worst travel experience?

Our family went to England in 2006, and were travelling to Paris through the Euro Tunnel.

We’d been looking forward to the trip but a gas pipeline had just exploded on it and it took us 16 hours to reach Paris, with a large part of that spent in tunnels. Because of a lack of communication, there was a great deal of unease among the passengers.

What’s your biggest gripe about hotel rooms?

We’re pretty fortunate in Asia; most hotels are of really good quality, with great facilities and service. I don’t like non-smoking rooms that smell of smoke.

What about air travel?

No real complaints, although immigration and custom clearance in some countries can be frustrating. In-flight, particularly on carriers such as QF and BA, there’s an increasing use of technology: if you’re travelling for six hours or more in a comfortable seat, have a choice of movies and you can do your work or relax, then there’s not much left to want.

Which souvenirs do you tend to bring back for your family?

I have to bring back liquorice bullets from Australia. You can’t get them in Singapore! Do you opt for fine wine or the local brew? Depends on the mood and the company. I’m a beer kind of guy, but I like a wine with dinner or at a function.

Corporate entertainment or 6am jog?

I try and do both, though am probably most successful at the former.