Air Canada announced Wednesday that Anko Van der Werff will become its next president and chief executive officer.
Van der Werff, who is currently the president and CEO of Scandinavian Airlines, is expected to take over the role by January.
Van der Werff Calls Appointment an Honour
In a news release, Van der Werff said it was an honour to be selected to lead Air Canada.
He said he looks forward to guiding the iconic Canadian airline as it continues working toward its business goals and long-term strategy.
Extensive Aviation Leadership Experience
Before leading Scandinavian Airlines, Van der Werff served as CEO of Avianca, a major South American airline.
According to his LinkedIn profile, he has also held senior roles at Aeromexico, Qatar Airways and KLM.
He has also served on boards of international organizations connected to aviation and business.
Michael Rousseau to Retire After 19 Years
Van der Werff will replace Michael Rousseau, who announced earlier this year that he would retire after 19 years with Air Canada.
Rousseau’s retirement came after controversy over an English-only condolence message following a deadly crash at New York’s LaGuardia Airport.
His retirement will take effect on Aug. 31.
During the transition period, Air Canada’s executive committee will report to the company’s board of directors.
LaGuardia Crash Sparked Language Controversy
The controversy followed a runway crash involving a fire truck and Air Canada Express Flight 8646.
The crash killed both pilots, one of whom was from Quebec, and sent several passengers to hospital.
Rousseau later released a four-minute video message about the tragedy.
The video was delivered in English with French subtitles, except for Rousseau saying “bonjour” at the beginning and “merci” at the end.
French-Speaking Canadians Criticized the Message
The video drew criticism from many French-speaking Canadians.
Parliament’s official languages committee summoned Rousseau to Ottawa to answer questions about the matter.
Political leaders, including Prime Minister Mark Carney and then Quebec premier François Legault, also criticized the message at the time.
Rousseau Had Faced Earlier Criticism Over French
This was not the first time Rousseau faced criticism for his inability to speak French.
In 2021, he was criticized after delivering a speech almost entirely in English to business leaders in Montreal.
That incident led then deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland to write to Air Canada’s board, urging Rousseau to improve his French skills.
Rousseau Expressed Regret
After the backlash over his LaGuardia crash response, Rousseau said he regretted that his limited French ability had taken attention away from the tragedy.
He said that despite his efforts to improve, he was still not able to express himself properly in French.
Air Canada Conducted Global Search
Air Canada said Van der Werff was chosen after a “comprehensive global search.”
The airline said candidates were assessed using several performance criteria, including the ability to speak French.
New CEO Has Multilingual Skills
Van der Werff is originally from the Netherlands and speaks Dutch.
Air Canada said he is also able to communicate in French.
In addition, he speaks English and has learned Spanish, Italian and Swedish during his career.
Air Canada Highlights Official Languages
Air Canada’s website published greetings from Van der Werff in both English and French alongside the media release.
In the English version, Van der Werff said he understands the importance of serving Canadians in both official languages.
He described that responsibility as fundamental to Air Canada.
Air Canada’s decision to appoint Anko Van der Werff marks a major leadership change for the airline. His international aviation background and multilingual abilities come at an important time, following language-related criticism involving outgoing CEO Michael Rousseau.
As Van der Werff prepares to take over by January, Air Canada is emphasizing both leadership experience and the importance of serving Canadians in English and French.
