After leading Air Canada for just under 12 years, Calin Rovinescu will step down as president and chief executive officer of the airline next month. He helped the flag carrier of Canada through significant challenges before taking it to new levels. Let’s take a look at his journey with the company.

A strong start

The University of Ottawa, which Rovinescu was appointed chancellor of in November 2015, shares that after gaining his qualifications, he embarked on a 20-year career in corporate law. He ascended to become the managing partner Stikeman Elliott, one of Canada’s leading business law firms. Here, he advised major companies across North America and Europe on aspects such as merger and acquisition transactions, corporate finance, privatizations, and restructurings. He had already become well acquainted with Air Canada while in this position, working with the airline on key cases.

Rovinescu first joined Air Canada in April 2000. He soon took on several senior management roles, such as executive vice president of corporate development and strategy, chairman of the carrier’s different subsidiaries, and as chief restructuring officer through April 2004. That year, he took a break from the business. He would soon become co-founder and principal of Genuity Capital Markets, an investment bank.

The businessman wouldn’t be gone from the airline for too long. He returned to Air Canada at the beginning of April 2009, just five years after he left. However, this time, he had new responsibilities as the president and CEO of the carrier. Notably, he took on the positions the year after the start of the global economic crisis. So, he definitely had a lot on his plate to get through.