Air Canada names Scandinavian Airlines head as its new CEO

The top boss of Scandinavian airline, Anko Van der Werff, will succeed Michael Rousseau as the CEO of Air Canada, ending months of speculation over leadership at Canada’s largest carrier, the airline said Wednesday.

The appointment concludes the search for Rousseau’s successor after he announced in March that he would retire, bringing to an end a 19-year tenure with the airline.

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Rousseau had faced criticism earlier this year after failing to offer condolences in French, one of Canada’s two official languages, following a crash that killed two pilots.

Van der Werff is set to join Air Canada by the end of January 2027.

SAS, which is part-owned by Air France-KLM, will begin the process of appointing a successor, the airline said.