After a chaotic end to 2022, as technology failures led to thousands of canceled flights, Southwest Airlines has pledged $1 billion to technology improvements this year. In a first step towards updating its technology, Southwest has promoted Lauren Woods to Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer.
Woods has been with Southwest since 2010 and has led key initiatives across Southwest’s Technology Department, supporting the Company’s Digital and Customer Channels and various Operations Teams and Platforms. She established cloud infrastructure, creating a new development and delivery platform for complex application ecosystems. In her new role, Woods will play an important role in managing the airline’s technology investments, upgrades, and system maintenance.
Woods’s promotion follows former CIO Kathleen Merill’s decision to step into an Executive Advisor role early this year.
“Lauren’s vast experience has prepared her well for this important role, as she’s built a stellar reputation for being an innovative and transformational Leader in our Technology Department and throughout the Company,” said Southwest CEO Bob Jordan.
Prior to joining Southwest, Woods worked in the management consulting firm Diamond Management & Technology (now PWC) with clients such as Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Travelers Insurance. Woods’s consulting experience laid the foundation for her launch into Technology at Southwest.
