It is now official that SAS President & CEO Anko van der Werff will leave the airline at the beginning of 2027 to become the new Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada. This confirms the reports previously covered by InsideFlyer.
Van der Werff will remain in his role throughout the rest of 2026 to ensure continuity while the SAS Board of Directors begins the search for his successor.
This has not been an easy decision. The key building blocks are now in place, and SAS is well positioned for the next phase of its development.
Anko van der Werff
A Natural Time for Change
The timing is hardly a coincidence. Air France-KLM is expected to complete its acquisition of a controlling stake in SAS during the fourth quarter of 2026, making this leadership transition a natural conclusion to the transformation that began when van der Werff took over in 2021.
During his tenure, SAS completed a comprehensive restructuring, successfully emerged from Chapter 11, joined SkyTeam, and recently announced the largest aircraft order in the airline’s history, with up to 40 new Airbus widebody aircraft.
Who Will Lead SAS Next?
Van der Werff’s departure also follows the recent exit of former Head of EuroBonus Aron Backström, meaning two of the most prominent executives behind SAS’ transformation have now left the company within a short period.
With Air France-KLM preparing to become the airline’s controlling shareholder, attention now turns to who will be chosen to lead SAS into its next chapter.
We will continue to follow the search for SAS’ next CEO closely.
