Who Gets Anko’s Old Job? Contenders for the Next SAS CEO
Photo Caption: An SAS Scandinavian Airlines Airbus A350-900. Copenhagen Airport
Skift Take
Van der Werff has six months to hand over the keys, and by the time he does, the people choosing his successor may not be the people sitting on the board today.
Anko van der Werff's move to Air Canada, confirmed last week, opens the top job at SAS just as control of the airline changes hands. The Air France-KLM Group is on course to lift its holding in the Scandinavian carrier from 19.9% to 60.5%, subject to final regulatory approval.
That matters for who ends up in the chief executive's office. Copenhagen will retain influence as the Danish government is keeping its 26% holding, but it's likely most of the directors doing the choosing will soon answer to Paris.
This means the vacancy is really two decisions wearing one job title. SAS needs a CEO, and Air France-KLM needs to decide how it wants to run SAS. Van der Werff assured Skift last year that SAS would never become “Air France-KLM lite.” He won't be the one who has to keep that promise.
Will it be an insider who already knows how to work with senior management in Paris? Or will a hire with more local experience win the day? The names below reflect he
