Key Points
- Anko Van der Werff, current SAS CEO, will become Air Canada’s chief executive by the end of January 2027, replacing Michael Rousseau, who retires August 31.
- The leadership change follows a French-language controversy, notably Rousseau’s English-only statement after a fatal LaGuardia crash, prompting the board to explicitly weigh French-language ability in its search.
- Van der Werff’s exit creates a top-level vacancy at SAS as it transitions to Air France-KLM control and just after committing to a $10 billion-plus widebody fleet order.
Summary
Air Canada has appointed SAS chief executive Anko Van der Werff as its next CEO, effective by the end of January 2027, succeeding Michael Rousseau, who will retire on August 31 after a French-language controversy overshadowed his final months. The tipping point came in March, when Rousseau—who spent 14 years in Montreal without learning French—released an English-only video statement following a fatal Air Canada Express crash at New York’s LaGuardia airport, drawing sharp criticism from Quebec officials and Prime Minister Mark Carney. In selecting Van der Werff, the board explicitly weighted French-language ability among its criteria and highlighted his multilingual skills. Van der Werff brings 25 years of industry experience across KLM, Qatar Airways, Aeroméxico, Avianca, and SAS, where he led a major transformation. His move leaves a leadership vacancy at SAS just as the carrier enters a new era under Air France-KLM’s control and days after announcing the largest fleet investment in its 80-year history.