MONTRÉAL — Air Canada has announced that President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Rousseau will retire by the end of the third quarter of 2026, following nearly two decades with the airline.
Rousseau will continue to lead the company and serve on its Board of Directors until his retirement, supporting a smooth leadership transition.
During his tenure, Rousseau has held several senior leadership roles, including Chief Financial Officer and Deputy CEO, before being appointed President and CEO. His leadership spanned major industry challenges and strategic developments, including the acquisition of Aeroplan and broader efforts to strengthen the airline’s financial position and customer experience.
Air Canada’s President and CEO, Michael Rousseau
“On behalf of the entire Board, I want to thank Mike for his many contributions to Air Canada as he progressed from Chief Financial Officer to Deputy CEO and then to CEO and Board member,” said Vagn Sørensen, Chair of the Board of Directors.
“We are grateful for the determined leadership he has provided not only in steering our company through the 2007-2008 financial crisis, COVID and other challenges, but also in capturing opportunities such as the acquisition of Aeroplan, in restoring the solvency of our pension plans and in advancing customer centricity and employee well-being priorities.”
The airline’s Board of Directors confirmed that an external global search for candidates was launched in January 2026. It will assess candidates based on a range of performance criteria, including the ability to communicate in French, reflecting the airline’s position as Canada’s national carrier headquartered in Montréal, Québec.
The news comes on the heels of Rousseau receiving backlash for his English-only message of condolence following the AC8646 collision at LaGuardia airport earlier this month.
During his tenure, Rousseau has held several senior leadership roles, including Chief Financial Officer and Deputy CEO, before being appointed President and CEO. His leadership spanned major industry challenges and strategic developments, including the acquisition of Aeroplan and broader efforts to strengthen the airline’s financial position and customer experience.
“It has been my great honour to work with the dedicated and talented people of Air Canada and to represent our outstanding organization, including as chair of the Star Alliance chief executive board and on the board of directors of the International Air Transport Association,” said Rousseau. “I look forward to supporting our company during this important transition period.”
The Board is being supported in the succession process by global consulting firms Egon Zehnder and Korn Ferry.
In a separate announcement, Air Canada also confirmed details of its 2026 annual meeting of shareholders. Details can be found here.
