Another executive is leaving Scandinavian airline SAS. Chief commercial officer and executive vice president Karl Sandlund announced on April 4, 2022 that he is leaving SAS for a new role outside the airline.
Sandlund will leave the company by the beginning of October 2022, SAS said in a statement. The airline, which has its main bases in Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm, is now starting the recruitment process for his successor.
The departure comes less than two weeks after SAS announced the departure of chief financial officer Magnus Ornberg. He is being replaced by Erno Hildén, who starts in April.
Chief executive officer Anko van der Werff, who only joined SAS in July 2021, said he wished Sandlund all the best.
“Karl has been at SAS since 2004 and it is with regret, I see him leave,” van der Werff commented in the statement. “He has been a key player in many different areas of the company for the past 18 years. Both from a personal and professional level I’m grateful for how Karl introduced me to SAS when I joined last year.”
The management changes come at a pivotal time for SAS. The airline is currently implementing a wide-ranging cost-cutting program, dubbed SAS FORWARD. However, the process has already hit some bumps after pilot representatives walked out of a negotiating meeting on March 29, 2022.
“I have now accepted an irresistible opportunity in a company promoting excellence and opportunities for our next generation which is something I highly value,” Sandlund said. “I like to thank my colleagues at SAS for their engagement and support throughout the years and I will closely follow the developments of SAS FORWARD, our plan which will ensure a sustainable future for this fantastic company.”