The appointment of ex-Virgin Australia head Jayne Hrdlicka as the new Managing Director and CEO of Endeavour Group has dominated the headlines since it was announced yesterday.

In fact, she already has a new nickname, with the Australian Financial Review noting she has been “deliciously dubbed Jayne Hard Liquor”. 

Her expertise will be rewarded with a $2 million annual fixed salary, with short-term bonuses of up to $3 million and long-term incentives of $4 million. And the verdict on whether she will deliver on the results needed for those bonuses?

According to Chanticleer: “She’s strategic, energetic, combative and divisive, and whichever way this proposed turnaround goes, it will not be boring.”

However, it added: “Some of the $7.2 billion Endeavour’s investors will hate her appointment – and Endeavour’s board should have known that.”

The Australian was equally hedging its bets on her appointment, saying “two questions come to mind”.

It noted: “Is the Bain consultant-turned-airline boss the right fit? And, more importantly, is Endeavour ready for Hrdlicka?”

According to the Sydney Morning Herald: “Hrdlicka is considered tough, ruthless, and polarising to her critics and fans alike, so there is little doubt that underperforming Endeavour is in for radical change.”

The company’s largest and most outspoken shareholder, Bruce Mathieson, has thrown his support behind Hrdlicka.

“We’ve worked with Jane before when she was at Woolies,” Mathieson told the AFR.

“Hopefully, Jayne can straighten it right up. She’s got amazing assets to do it, and I’m sure it’ll go an awful lot better under her guidance than what was done beforehand.”

Among the analysts, John Wylie, the former Credit Suisse banker who is now Tanarra’s chief executive, said: “Jayne is tough and smart. That’s a good left field choice.”

Barrenjoey head of consumer research Tom Kierath said that although Hrdlicka did not have a lot of experience in retail or liquor, “her broader consumer experience will be valuable”. Endeavour, he added, was “in need of a strategic thinker and change agent mould of CEO, in our view, rather than an operationally focused CEO and we think that Ms Hrdlicka fits this bill”.