Air Canada names French-speaking Anko Van der Werff CEO

Air Canada named Anko Van der Werff, the current chief executive of Scandinavian Airlines, as its next chief executive and president on Wednesday.

The Canadian carrier said Van der Werff will take charge by the end of January 2027 and join its board. He will replace Michael Rousseau, who announced his retirement following controversy over an English-only condolence video after a deadly collision in March between an Air Canada jet and a fire truck at New York's LaGuardia Airport.

Air Canada said its global search considered several performance criteria, including the ability to communicate in French. Van der Werff said he was mindful of the importance of serving Canadians in both official languages and said he had learned French at school in the Netherlands.

Canada has two official languages, English and French. Air Canada is headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, and is required to offer services in both languages.

Rousseau apologised after the English-only message, saying he regretted that he could not express himself in French despite many lessons. Prime Minister Mark Carney said at the time that he was disappointed by the message, and Quebec's provincial legislature passed a motion calling for Rousseau's resignation.