Anko van der Werff, the chief executive officer of Scandinavian airline SAS AB, has emerged as the leading candidate to become the next CEO of Air Canada, according to sources familiar with the matter. He would succeed Michael Rousseau, who announced in March he would step down after facing public backlash for speaking almost entirely in English in a corporate video following a fatal crash.
Van der Werff's aviation pedigree
Van der Werff has led SAS for about five years, guiding the carrier through bankruptcy restructuring and restoring operations after the COVID-19 pandemic. He previously served as CEO of Colombian airline Avianca from 2019 to 2021 and held senior executive roles at Grupo Aeromexico, Qatar Airways, and Air France-KLM. A Dutch national, van der Werff speaks Dutch, English, and Spanish, with a basic understanding of Italian, Swedish, and French, according to a 2021 SAS press release. SAS is partially owned by Air France-KLM, and the company recently announced a major fleet upgrade with new Airbus SE widebody jets.
Rousseau's departure and language controversy
Rousseau faced intense criticism, including from the federal government, after a video he recorded following a LaGuardia Airport crash that killed two Air Canada pilots. In the video, Rousseau spoke almost entirely in English, sparking outrage in French-speaking Quebec. Air Canada, headquartered in the Montreal region, is legally required to provide services in both official languages. The incident led to Rousseau's decision to leave the company.
Challenges ahead for Air Canada's next CEO
The new CEO will take the helm during a difficult year for the airline. Air Canada suspended its financial outlook in May due to soaring jet fuel prices caused by the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. The company's stock price remains only half of what it was before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Bloomberg data. On a positive note, Air Canada is modernizing its fleet and introduced a new cabin design in June. The board has not made a final decision and may select another candidate, sources cautioned. Air Canada and van der Werff did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while SAS declined to comment.
