Air Canada has announced that the current CEO of SAS, Anko Van der Werff, will assume the position of president and chief executive officer of the airline, in addition to joining its board of directors, starting at the end of January 2027. In this way, he will succeed Michael Rousseau, who had previously announced his retirement after 19 years with the Canadian company.
In the official statement, the chairman of the board, Vagn Sorensen, has highlighted Van der Werff's "extensive international aviation experience and a proven track record of 25 years," who has also held executive positions at Avianca, Aeroméxico, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (currently Air France-KLM), and Qatar Airways.
"It is an honor to have been chosen to lead this iconic Canadian company as it drives its ambitions and strategy, consolidates its award-winning corporate culture and customer value proposition, and prepares for an even more promising future," said the future president and CEO next year.
The appointment followed an extensive international selection process to find the most suitable candidate to steer the future of Air Canada, in which various performance criteria were evaluated, including the ability to express oneself in French.
Rousseau's retirement will be effective on August 31, although he will remain available when necessary during the handover phase.
The board of directors has expressed its gratitude to Michael Rousseau for his "exceptional" leadership and "extraordinary contributions," emphasizing that they have been decisive for the "enviable position" that Air Canada currently holds among international airlines.