Airline Leader Interview with Azul Brazilian Airlines CEO John Rodgerson

John Rodgerson is the CEO of Azul Brazilian Airlines. He started the company in 2008 and was a key driver of its development over the last 10 years. Under the leadership of David Neeleman and John Rodgerson, Azul has become the largest airline in Brazil by number of cities, serving more than 150 destinations in the country. With over US$2.5 billion in annual revenue and more than 13,000 crewmembers, Azul has been rated by Trip Advisor as the best airline in the world. John played a key role in developing Azul’s original business plan, its strong corporate culture, and differentiated customer experience. Prior to becoming Azul’s CEO in 2017, John was the airline´s CFO, responsible for raising over US$ 1 billion in capital and leading its IPO, with simultaneous listings at the New York Stock Exchange and the São Paulo Exchange. Prior to joining Azul, John served as Director of Planning and Financial Analysis at JetBlue from 2003 to 2008, where he fell in love with the airline sector. Before JetBlue, he worked for IBM Global Services. John holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Brigham Young University. John has been living in Brazil for the past 13 years, and besides his busy schedule as Azul’s CEO he volunteers as an English teacher. He is happily married with Brooke and together they have three sons.