Microsoft and IBM Veteran Named CPO of Alaska Airlines

Lindsay-Rae McIntyre has been named as Chief People Officer of Alaska Airlines, shortly after announcing her departure from Microsoft. 

As an IBM and Microsoft veteran, Lindsay-Rae will bring more than 28 years of HR and organisational leadership experience to Alaska Airlines. 

In her new role, Lindsay-Rae will take charge of the airline's talent strategy, total rewards, employee experience, employee relations, leadership development, culture, and HR operations. 

By doing so, Lindsay-Rae will help the business deliver on its vision to connect people to the world “through a remarkable travel experience rooted in safety, care and performance.”

Get to know Lindsay-Rae McIntyre

Prior to her new role, Lindsay-Rae spent more than seven years with Microsoft as Chief Diversity Officer, and Chief Diversity Officer, Corporate Vice President of Talent and Learning, as well as more than two decades at IBM, leading global HR teams.

Speaking on Lindsay-Rae’s appointment, Ben Minicucci, CEO of Alaska Airlines, shared: “Lindsay-Rae is an accomplished people leader with deep experience strengthening culture, leading complex global organisations, and building talent development strategies that help teams thrive. 

“She understands what it takes to support frontline employees and leaders alike, and we’re excited to welcome her to Alaska as we grow our global footprint and continue our integration with Hawaiian Airlines.”

She brings deep experience in talent acquisition, leadership development and workforce strategy, with a focus on enabling frontline teams and strengthening culture at scale.

Lindsay-Rae is focused on advancing the airline’s global people strategy, while ensuring there’s consistent alignment with the organisation’s “business objectives, cultural aspirations and operational excellence.”

Lindsay-Rae will also be reporting to Ben, the company’s CEO, having succeeded Andy Schneider, who became the CEO of Horizon Air, Alaska’s regional affiliate, in September 2025. Her new role will be based in Seattle and will come into effect on April 1.

A fond goodbye and an optimistic hello

Taking to LinkedIn, Lindsay-Rae shared two letters – one to former employer Microsoft, and the other to Alaska Airlines.

She said: “Dear Microsoft, empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more. Unapologetically inclusive – that’s our mission. Together, we have transformed our company, our culture, and, in meaningful ways, our industry. When we create the conditions for everyone to contribute and thrive, employees flourish, products improve, and customer experiences become more human and more powerful.

“There is a vast, complex world counting on Microsoft to help bend the arc of the future toward good. I am honoured to have been part of this transformation for the past eight years. While I am stepping into a new chapter, I will remain deeply committed to this extraordinary company and the community that makes it what it is. Please take good care of one another, and of our customers.”

Through her letter to Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, she expressed that she “could not be more excited to join the Alaska family,” while thanking Ben Minicucci, and the wider executive team.

She then shared a personal anecdote, explaining that aviation has “long been part” of her story.

“My grandfather and uncle were pilots for Air Canada; my aunt was a flight attendant,” she expressed. “I grew up in awe of aeroplanes and of the extraordinary people who make air travel possible. Few industries so directly connect people and communities every day or play such a defining role in shaping how the world moves and advances.”

Signing off, Lindsay-Rae said that she is “energised by what lies ahead,” while expressing her excitement to “learn, build, and innovate” alongside the business.