Air Canada announced on March 30, 2026, that President and CEO Michael Rousseau has informed the board of directors of his intention to retire by the end of the third quarter of 2026. He will remain in his role and on the board until a successor is in place.
Rousseau’s departure will cap nearly two decades at Air Canada, a stretch that saw him rise from Chief Financial Officer to Deputy CEO before succeeding Calin Rovinescu as President and CEO in February 2021. Under his watch, the airline navigated the 2007-2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, brought the Aeroplan loyalty program back in-house, and restored the solvency of its pension plans.
The succession process is already well advanced. According to the airline, the board has spent more than two years developing an internal pipeline of senior executives while also launching an external global search in January 2026. Among the criteria under consideration is fluency in French, reflecting the carrier’s deep roots in Montreal.
Board chair Vagn Sorensen praised Rousseau’s track record, highlighting the airline’s improved financial footing and his role in advancing customer and employee-focused initiatives. Rousseau, for his part, cited his work chairing the Star Alliance chief executive board and serving on the International Air Transport Association (IATA) board as career highlights.
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