Virgin Atlantic Appoints New VP of Brand and Marketing

Virgin Atlantic has appointed Sophie Woodford its new Vice President Brand and Marketing after the departure of Annabelle Cordelli, the previous Vice President who held the role for seven years. 

Officially starting her role on 9 July, Sophie will be responsible for strengthening the Virgin Atlantic brand and overseeing end-to-end marketing delivery, including customer growth and performance.

The newly appointed VP says: “I am incredibly proud to take on this role at such an exciting time for Virgin Atlantic. Our brand is known for its unmistakable personality, sense of fun and reputation for doing things differently, and I can’t wait to work with our brilliant teams to bring that spirit to life in fresh, creative ways that inspire customers and drive long-term growth.” 

Previous Virgin Atlantic Experience

Already well acquainted with the company, Sophie first joined Virgin Atlantic three years ago. Her most recent role was as Head of Creative & Design, in which she was responsible for leading the carrier’s creative, content and studio teams. 

The airline is confident in Sophie’s performance, with Chief Customer Officer Juha Jaervinen saying: “Sophie has already made a significant impact at Virgin Atlantic, combining creative excellence with commercial focus and a deep understanding of what makes our brand so distinctive.”

Throughout her time in her previous role, Sophie played a key part in shaping the design vision behind the airline’s new Los Angeles Clubhouse, as well as recently refurbishing Heathrow’s Clubship, embodying the brand’s iconic image with both these flagship spaces. 

Juha adds “She (Sophie) is an exceptional leader, and I am delighted that she will be leading our brand and marketing team as we continue to invest in our customer proposition and the future growth of the airline.”

The future of the popular airline

Founded by Entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson in 1984, Virgin Atlantic has always focused on innovative ideas and exceptional customer service.

 After Corneel Koster was appointed CEO of Virgin Atlantic at the start of 2026, plans were announced to upgrade the airline with better performing technology, as part of Virgin Atlantic’s transformation towards 100% next generation aircraft by 2028. 

Corneel commented on the “incredible privilege”  of his new role, thanking the company for its trust and confidence. He added that he will carry on the airline’s mission to become the world’s “most loved travel company” and is feeling driven by the “special challenger spirit that Richard instilled into us from day one.”

Virgin Atlantic is also the first European airline to partner with OpenAI, adding a real-time voice concierge service for fast, human-like customer support for passengers. 

After Sophie’s help with the refurbishment of the Los Angeles Clubhouse and London Heathrow Lounge, the airline is also planning to invest in major upgrades for its New York JFK lounge next. All of these upgrades will bring a rebranded experience to passengers, as Virgin Atlantic are expanding global travel options and progressively transforming into an all-next-generation fleet.