SAS Group announces management changes
SAS aircraft view
SAS Group announced this week that Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff Carina Malmgren Heander is retiring from her position at SAS. Heander will officially step down from her role on February 1, 2024, the press release said. For a transitional period, she will continue to serve as a senior advisor to President and CEO Anko van der Werff until summer 2024.
Carina Malmgren Heander has been a member of SAS Group Management since 2015. The company said she has been instrumental in several transformation initiatives during that time.
“I want to thank Carina for her dedication to SAS during almost a decade of very demanding times. We appreciate her stamina, strategic mindset and focus on achieving results. I wish her all the best in the new phase as she retires,” said van der Werff.
Said Heander of her time with the company, “I’m grateful for the opportunity to have been part of SAS Group Management and the journey to secure and maintain SAS’ role as the leading airline in Scandinavia. The dedication and commitment shown by SAS employees every day is something that has made a lasting impression.”
As a result of Heander’s retriement, SAS Group will undergo some internal reorganization, including the establishment of a new Chief People Officer function, appointing Pernille Ormholt Vang to the role. This will replace the Chief of Staff function and encompass the duties of HR and Communication roles, among others.
Vang is an experienced HR leader with a successful career within the Maersk group. She is currently the Regional Head of HR for Maersk APAC Region and will assume her new role on January 1, 2024.
“I am delighted to extend a warm welcome to Pernille Ormholt Vang. With a comprehensive background in Global, Corporate, and Regional HR leadership roles, Pernille brings extensive experience to our organization. Her proven track record in driving organizational transformations makes her a valuable addition to the SAS management team. We look forward to the positive impact this will have," said van der Werff of the management change.
Vang said, “I am truly honored and excited to embark on this new journey at SAS. My career has been dedicated to creating business results in global organizations, and I look forward to contributing my skills and expertise to the dynamic environment at SAS and together with the team."
In other staffing news, the General Counsel position will be part of Group Management. Anna Almén, currently the Vice President General Counsel, will also join SAS Group Management as Chief Legal Officer.
“Anna Almén has been instrumental in SAS’ ongoing restructuring and a driving force in our transformation. Anna has been a valued colleague at SAS for over 20 years and I look forward to continuing our close cooperation. I am delighted to welcome Anna into the Group Management team,” said van der Werff.
“I am excited about the opportunity to continue shaping SAS together with my colleagues, and together with our new owners,” said Almén.
