Atlas Air Worldwide has appointed Emma Woodthorpe as its Chief People Officer, effective April 27, 2026, as the company doubles down on strengthening its global talent and culture agenda.
Woodthorpe will report to Chief Executive Officer Michael Steen and serve on the company’s Executive Leadership Team. In her new role, she will oversee talent acquisition, leadership development, organisational effectiveness, total rewards, employee engagement and relations, HR operations, and people technology, aligning workforce strategy with Atlas’ evolving business priorities.
“At Atlas, our people are at the center of everything we do,” said Steen. “Emma has demonstrated success in strengthening leadership capability, increasing employee engagement, embedding clear values and behaviors, and creating more connected and accountable organizations – capabilities that directly support our ambition to live a thriving culture at Atlas.”
The appointment comes as Atlas continues to build momentum in the outsourced aviation logistics space, with a sharpened focus on leadership alignment and organisational capability as growth enablers.
Woodthorpe brings over 25 years of experience in building high-performing organisations and leading large-scale transformation. She most recently served as Chief People Officer at Brooks Automation, where she partnered with the CEO and Board to strengthen leadership effectiveness, enhance governance, and build scalable people practices.
“I am excited to join the team at this pivotal moment in Atlas’ journey,” said Woodthorpe. “The Company has built strong momentum, and we will build on this foundation to support our global workforce and position the business for long-term success. People and culture are critical enablers of Atlas’ continued growth, and I look forward to working with the team to advance the Company’s people agenda.”
Earlier, as Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Mercury Systems, she played a key role in scaling the company through 14 acquisitions and supporting its growth from approximately $200 million to nearly $1 billion in revenue.
She began her career in senior HR roles at Xylem Inc. and DuPont, gaining international experience in organisational design, workforce planning, and talent strategy.
Woodthorpe holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Manchester Metropolitan University.