Air Canada's search for its next chief executive appears to be narrowing to a familiar name in European aviation. According to a Bloomberg report published on July 2, Anko van der Werff β the current chief executive of Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) β has emerged as the frontrunner to lead Canada's flag carrier. The report was subsequently picked up by AeroTime and other industry outlets.
The succession has been in motion since March, when Air Canada's board announced that President and CEO Michael Rousseau intends to retire by the end of the third quarter of 2026. Rousseau's departure follows a difficult stretch for the airline, including criticism over his handling of a video message delivered in English following the deaths of two pilots in a crash earlier this year β an episode that reignited long-running sensitivities about the French language at the Montreal-based carrier.
A Turnaround Specialist In The Frame
Van der Werff is no stranger to complex airline situations. Over roughly five years at the helm of SAS, he guided the Scandinavian carrier through bankruptcy protection and a hard-fought restructuring, steadying operations in the wake of the pandemic. Before joining SAS he served as chief executive of Colombia's Avianca from 2019 to 2021, and earlier held commercial and leadership roles at AeromΓ©xico, Qatar Airways, Air France-KLM and KLM.
That rΓ©sumΓ© β spanning Latin America, the Gulf, Europe and Scandinavia β would give Air Canada a leader with deep international network experience at a moment when the airline is balancing transatlantic growth with cost discipline. It would also mark a notable outside hire for a company that has often promoted from within.
The Language Question
One factor looms over any Air Canada leadership decision: language. French is an official language of Canada, and its use carries particular weight at Air Canada given the airline's Montreal roots and its obligations under federal law. Van der Werff is reported to be fluent in Dutch, English and Spanish, with only a basic grasp of French, Italian and Swedish. Whether that would satisfy the political and cultural expectations placed on the role β expectations that contributed to the scrutiny of the outgoing CEO β is likely to be a central question if his candidacy advances.
For now, nothing is confirmed. Bloomberg framed van der Werff as a leading contender rather than a done deal, and Air Canada has not publicly commented on individual candidates. SAS, too, would face its own succession question should its chief executive depart. But the emergence of a high-profile European name signals that Air Canada is casting a wide net as it prepares for one of the most consequential leadership transitions in its recent history.
Sources: Bloomberg, AeroTime. Featured image: AI-generated by AviationShop. By Elena Vargas.
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