Air Canada appoints new president and CEO
Air Canada appointed (08-Jul-2026) Anko Van der Werff as president and CEO and a member of the board, effective from the end of Jan-2027. Mr Van der Werff, who currently serves as president and CEO of SAS, will succeed Michael Rousseau, who plans to retire from 31-Aug-2026 and will continue to "be available as needed throughout the transition". Mr Van der Werff previously served as CEO of Avianca, EVP and chief commercial officer at Aeroméxico and served on the board of governors of IATA. [more - original PR] [more - original PR - French] [more - Aviation Week]
Background ✨
Air Canada’s board previously said CEO Michael Rousseau would retire by end-3Q2026, remaining CEO and a director until then, after an external global search began in Jan-20261. In Feb-2026, Mr Rousseau said Air Canada delivered a “solid” 4Q2025 despite shifting demand, a summer labour disruption and macroeconomic/geopolitical uncertainty, while focusing on cost management and fleet investments2.