SAS names Gustafson to take over as Airline’s CEO from Jansson

SAS Group AB, the biggest Nordic airline, named Rickard Gustafson to take over as chief executive officer from Mats Jansson, who’ll leave at the end of the month. Gustafson, 46, will assume his new position at the latest in March, the Stockholm-based carrier said in a statement today. Deputy Chief Executive Officer John Dueholm will run the airline until then.

Gustafson has worked in the insurance and financial industries and is currently CEO of insurer Codan/Trygg Hansa, the airline said. Jansson, who is 59 and had a year left on his contract, unexpectedly resigned last month. SAS, half-owned by the governments of Sweden, Denmark and Norway, lost 9.25 billion kronor ($1.3 billion) in the past two years after travel fell during the financial crisis. Jansson began a 7.8 billion-krona cost-cutting plan in February 2009, which includes eliminating 4,600 jobs and grounding 21 planes in a bid to return the airline to profit. “A great deal has been accomplished in recent years to create a platform for the future,” Gustafson said in the statement. “I look forward to developing the company further, together with all employees at SAS.”