1. Corporate
  2. Leadership team

Shai Weiss

Shai Weiss is Chief Executive Officer at Virgin Atlantic and an Executive Director of the Virgin Atlantic board.

Shai and the team are keenly focused on Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holidays together becoming the most loved travel company.

Shai joined Virgin Atlantic as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in July 2014 from Virgin Management Ltd, where he had been an Investment Partner since 2012 and was a Founding Partner of Virgin Green Fund.  In January 2017 Shai assumed the role of Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer responsible for shaping the airline’s strategic position in the market, driving opportunities for new revenue, and leading the loyalty, alliances and marketing programs that distinguish the airline.  Through his role at Virgin Group Shai has been a member of the Virgin Atlantic board from summer 2012.

Shai has extensive financial and operational expertise. Prior to joining Virgin Group, he held several senior management positions at ntl:Telewest (now Virgin Media), the UK and Europe’s largest cable operator. Shai was part of the turn-around of ntl with roles including Managing Director of Consumer Products, Director of Operations, and Director of Financial Planning for the Consumer division. Shai was also behind the merger between Virgin Mobile UK and ntl:Telewest and the re-brand to Virgin Media.

Prior to ntl, Shai established the European office of early-stage technology venture fund JVP and was a senior associate with Morgan Stanley.

Shai also serves as a non-executive director of Checkpoint Software Technologies (NASDQ: CHKP), a leading provider of cyber security solutions to governments and corporate enterprises globally.

Shai holds an MBA from Columbia University in New York and a BBA from City University of New York, Baruch College. He resides in London with his family, attends Arsenal games whenever he can, reads The New Yorker magazine from cover to cover and attempts to play basketball.

Suzanne Roddie

Siobhan joined Virgin Atlantic as VP, Digital & Distribution in 2018 after 15 years in senior roles in the retail industry at brands including Argos and Homebase. Earlier, she gained deep digital experience through roles in media and publishing. Siobhan’s background includes digital commerce and transformation, customer experience and marketing.  She is passionate about creating seamless experiences for customers, delivered through amazing people and great technology.

Siobhan lives with her partner, son, three cats, one dog and one horse. When she’s not on the horse riding, she’s normally avidly reading.

Cornell Koster

 

Corneel Koster is Chief Customer & Operating Officer at Virgin Atlantic, responsible for the delivery of the unique customer experience of Virgin Atlantic, as well as its safe and reliable operations. Corneel leads all customer facing teams, including Airports, Cabin Crew, Customer Centres, Clubhouses and Inflight Services to the operational teams, including Engineering & Maintenance, Flight Operations, Operations Control, Crew Logistics and the Safety & Security function. Corneel expanded his responsibilities from his previous role as Chief Customer Officer at Virgin Atlantic. Corneel brings to the team over 23 years’ experience in aviation, including leadership roles with some of our closest partners.

Before he returned to Virgin Atlantic in 2019, he was Delta Air Lines’ Senior Vice President - Europe, Middle East, Africa and India, overseeing sales and partnerships in the EMEAI region while coordinating the operational aspects and the service delivery to Delta’s customers, working closely with Delta’s joint venture partners Air France-KLM, Alitalia and Virgin Atlantic.

Before joining Delta, as Chief Operating Officer for Grupo Aeromexico Corneel was responsible for the operational excellence and service delivery of the Mexican airline and its regional feeder airline, as well as the company’s cargo and ground-handling subsidiaries. Corneel has also held several commercial leadership roles in the passenger, ground handling and cargo businesses of Air France-KLM, and before that KLM.

Corneel serves as a Board Member for Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited and as a Board member of BritishAmerican Business.

Originally from the Netherlands, Corneel holds an MSc (drs.) in Business Administration from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. Corneel has UK settled status and lives on the south coast of the UK with his wife and three sons.

 

Oliver Buyers

Oliver Byers was appointed Virgin Atlantic’s Chief Financial Officer in September 2020. He is responsible for financial planning & operations, legal and fleet planning and is focused on achieving profitable growth combined with a healthy return on capital deployed. Oliver brings to the team over 10 years of commercial aviation experience from both Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Group

Since joining Virgin Atlantic Oliver has held several leadership roles including Senior Vice President Revenue Management; Senior Vice President Global Sales & Loyalty; Senior Vice President Data & Customer Loyalty; and Chief of Staff. Oliver currently serves as a Board member of Virgin Group Loyalty Company and as an alternate Board Member for Virgin Atlantic Limited

Oliver joined Virgin Atlantic in early 2013 from the Virgin Group, in the role of Chief of Staff to the CEO. In this role, he supported the overall implementation and delivery of the Group’s strategic agenda and advised Virgin-branded businesses, including the successful growth then IPO of Virgin America, formation of Virgin Atlantic’s industry-leading Joint Venture with Delta Air Lines and the strategic development of Virgin Galactic. Oliver began his career as an investment banker at UBS, working in UK mergers and acquisitions and raising equity from capital markets. 

Oliver holds an MEng (hons) in Aeronautical Engineering from Durham University. He now lives in London having previously lived in San Francisco and Geneva and loves cycling and ski touring during the winter.

Juha Jarvinen

Juha Järvinen is Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic with over 25 years’ aviation, travel and logistics industry experience.  He leads the Commercial unit with responsibility for Passenger, Cargo, Holidays tour operator and Ancillary Revenues, Network planning, Joint Venture with Delta Air Lines and Air France KLM, SkyTeam Alliance and other airline partnerships, Global Corporate and Travel Trade Sales, Revenue Management and Distribution, and in its core to become the most loved travel company.

Juha joined Virgin Atlantic as Chief Commercial Officer in January 2019 from Finnair Plc, where he had been Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Board Member since 2014 and Managing Director of Finnair Cargo from 2012 to 2016. Prior to Finnair, Juha held a number of senior commercial and operations positions at SAS Scandinavian Airlines during his 14 years at the airline.

Juha is non-exec board member at British American Business, chamber of commerce trade organisation driving trade and investment between the UK and US. Previously, Juha acted as non-exec board member, Chairman and President Emeritus of the Airline Passenger Experience Association [APEX] Board, a US based non-profit association representing the global airline, technology and entertainment industry during 2016-2021. The association thrives to elevate improvements in customer experience, digitalisation and created APEX Official Airline Ratings and Awards during his tenure.

Juha holds an MBA from Danube University in Austria and a BA Honours from London Metropolitan University. He resides in London with his spouse. Experiences curious Finn loves travelling and exploring the world. Enjoys gym training and completely switches off at a hot yoga class and running by River Thames.