SAS future

SAS CEO resigns – joins rival: “Not an easy decision”

SAS CEO Anko van der Werff will leave his post at the beginning of next year, the airline confirms in a press release. Instead, he will become CEO of Air Canada.

– It has not been an easy decision. I have appreciated my time at SAS and the opportunity to work together with so many committed colleagues, van der Werff says in a statement.

The outgoing CEO emphasizes that SAS has gone through some tough years, but that “many of the most important building blocks” after the corporate restructuring are now in place.

Anko van der Werff will remain in his role until he leaves the airline.

Analysis: The CEO’s departure was expected – the timing is lousy

The 51-year-old Dutchman Anko van der Werff has managed to turn the crisis-ridden SAS on its right track and it is no surprise that he is leaving after the turn of the year. This is what both DN's Jonas Fröberg and DI's Thomas Frostberg write in their analyses.

Before the end of the year, Air France-KLM is expected to finally step in as the largest owner, and according to Frostberg, the timing of the defection is probably no coincidence: "Rather than becoming a subsidiary manager within the airline group where he was previously employed, he will check in next year at Air Canada for his next CEO trip."

Although the departure is expected, Jonas Fröberg believes that the timing is lousy. Partly because Anko van der Werff announced the largest investment in SAS's history last week. Partly because he will be a "lame duck" during the six months when the sensitive corporate integration with Air France-KLM is to take place, he reasons.