Air Canada Names Anko Van der Werff as New CEO Ending January 2027 Transition

Air Canada announced on July 8, 2026, that Anko Van der Werff has been appointed as its next President and Chief Executive Officer, a role he will assume by the end of January 2027. Van der Werff will also join the airline’s Board of Directors. His appointment marks the succession of Michael Rousseau, who is retiring after a 19-year tenure with Air Canada. Rousseau’s retirement becomes effective August 31, 2026, but he will assist in the leadership transition until Van der Werff officially takes over.

Vagn Sørensen, Chair of Air Canada’s Board, emphasized the competitiveness of the global search process to identify a new CEO, highlighting Van der Werff’s extensive international aviation expertise. Sørensen noted Van der Werff’s broad experience gained through executive leadership roles at prominent carriers including Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), Avianca Group, Aeroméxico, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (now Air France-KLM), and Qatar Airways. The Board expressed confidence that Van der Werff’s leadership will drive continued growth alongside disciplined capital management.

Anko Van der Werff most recently served as President and CEO of Scandinavian Airlines, where he led the airline through significant transformation and strategic renewal efforts. Prior to SAS, he was CEO at Avianca, a leading Latin American carrier. His earlier career includes executive commercial roles at Aeroméxico, Qatar Airways, and KLM, demonstrating a diverse portfolio of leadership across Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. Van der Werff’s 25 years in the industry reflect a career marked by international airline operations and change management.

Born in the Netherlands, Van der Werff holds a master’s degree in law from Leiden University and completed executive studies at Harvard Business School. He is multilingual, speaking Dutch, English, French, Spanish, Italian, and Swedish to varying degrees, an asset for leading a major Canadian airline with diverse stakeholders. Air Canada’s Board interviewed candidates based on rigorous criteria, including French language proficiency, underscoring the importance of bilingual communication within the company and its Canadian context.

Outgoing CEO Michael Rousseau’s leadership was credited with solidifying Air Canada’s position among leading global carriers over nearly two decades. The Board expressed gratitude for his stewardship and for supporting a smooth transition process. During the interim period post-Rousseau’s official retirement, Air Canada’s Executive Committee will report directly to the Board, ensuring operational continuity until Van der Werff fully assumes his responsibilities.

The appointment of Van der Werff reflects Air Canada’s strategic intent to build upon its established brand and employee culture while preparing for future challenges and opportunities in the aviation sector. His international leadership experience aligns with the carrier’s global ambitions and customer value propositions. Relocating from Europe, Van der Werff expressed enthusiasm for joining Air Canada’s executive team in Montréal and advancing the airline’s commitments to shareholders and passengers.