Qantas considers moving HR and finance roles to India through Accenture

Qantas is exploring a partnership with Accenture that could lead to the offshoring of up to 1,000 back-office roles, including positions in human resources, finance and marketing, to India.

According to reporting by the Australian Financial Review (AFR), the proposal forms part of an internal initiative known as Project iQ, which aims to modernise head office operations and enable the airline to expand customer-facing teams. While discussions are underway, Qantas has stressed that no agreement has been finalised.

Early stage talks, no formal agreement yet

A Qantas spokesperson confirmed the airline is in discussions with Accenture but said the process remains at an early stage.

"We have been exploring partnerships that have the capability to support us and are in early stage discussions with Accenture, but no formal agreement is in place and no decisions have been made," the spokesperson told the AFR.

The airline also highlighted its continued investment in frontline operations.

"We have added thousands of operational roles in Australia in the past few years, including pilots and engineers, and will hire thousands more over the coming years."

Project iQ targets back-office transformation

According to the AFR, Project iQ is designed to improve several corporate functions by drawing on Accenture's operational and technology capabilities.

The reported proposal includes moving support functions to India while allowing Qantas to redirect resources towards customer-facing operations.

Functions reportedly included in the proposal:

• Human resources
• Finance
• Marketing
• Other back-office support roles

The report said the plan could involve the offshoring of up to 1,000 positions.

AI strategy sits behind the proposed changes

The proposed partnership aligns with Qantas' broader push to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence across the business.

The airline said it is exploring ways to "accelerate the use of technology and AI" to modernise how it operates and improve outcomes for both customers and employees.

Earlier this year, Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson said AI could help the airline "do things a lot more efficiently."

She also said the company does not view AI solely as a tool for workforce reduction.

"I don't put limits in terms of the way we're thinking about AI and I don't think it's the right thing to only think about the value that AI can give is through headcount reduction," Hudson said previously.

Similar approach seen in Accenture's Telstra partnership

The reported arrangement has been compared with Accenture's agreement with Australian telecommunications company Telstra, according to the AFR.

Under that partnership, Telstra gained access to Accenture's US$3 billion investment in AI, including technology assets, industry solutions, acquisitions, talent and ecosystem partnerships.

The collaboration also involved organisational restructuring, with reports indicating more than 200 roles were cut at Telstra.

Outsourcing remains a sensitive issue for Qantas

The reported plan comes against the backdrop of a high-profile outsourcing dispute involving the airline.

In 2024, Qantas agreed to pay A$210 million in compensation to former ground handlers after courts found the airline had illegally dismissed workers when it outsourced ground handling operations in 2020.

While the current proposal focuses on corporate support functions rather than operational staff, it is likely to draw attention because of the airline's previous outsourcing decisions.