Calin Rovinescu

Early life

Calin Rovinescu was born in Bucharest, Romania, and immigrated to Canada with his parents and sister when he was five years old. In 1980, Rovinescu graduated from the University of Ottawa where he received his LL.B. In 1978, he graduated from the Université de Montréal where he received his LL.L. In 1974, he received his CEGEP (DEC) from McGill University.

He grew up in Montreal, Quebec, where he completed his primary and secondary education. He then went on to study at Concordia University in Montreal, where he earned a degree in Commerce. After completing his undergraduate degree, he attended the University of Ottawa, where he earned a law degree.

Rovinescu began his career as a lawyer, working with various law firms in Montreal. He then joined the Canadian National Railway Company as a legal advisor and later became the Vice President of corporate and legal affairs. In 1999, he joined Air Canada as Senior Vice President, Legal and Corporate Development. He held various senior management positions within the company and later was appointed as the CEO of Air Canada.

He is well known for his strategic vision and ability to lead large organizations through complex transformations. He is also known for his philanthropic efforts and his commitment to community service. He sits on the board of various organizations, including the Canadian Museum of History, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and the Montreal General Hospital Foundation.

Rovinescu is married and has two children. Not much information is publicly available about his early life and family.

Career

Rovinescu began his career as a lawyer in the 1980s, working for the law firm Stikeman Elliott in Montreal. He then joined the Canadian National Railway Company as a legal advisor and later became the Vice President of corporate and legal affairs. For over 20 years, he practiced in the areas of corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions.

In the early 1990s, he joined Air Canada as a senior legal advisor. He held a variety of leadership positions at the airline over the next two decades, eventually rising to the role of Executive Vice President, Corporate Development and Strategy.

Calin Rovinescu is the current CEO of Air Canada. He has been the CEO of Air Canada since April 1, 2009. Throughout his career, he has held various senior management positions and is known for his strategic vision and ability to lead large organizations through complex transformations.

Under his leadership, the company has undergone a period of significant growth and expansion, becoming one of the largest and most profitable airlines in the world. Rovinescu is broadly credited with having saved Air Canada from bankruptcy and having set it on a course for sustainable profitability, better labor relations, and continued success.

In 1999, he joined Air Canada as Senior Vice President, Legal and Corporate Development. He held various senior management positions and later was appointed as the CEO of Air Canada. As CEO, Rovinescu has led the airline through a period of significant change and growth, guiding it through a successful restructuring process and positioning it for long-term success.

Over the years that he has led the company, Air Canada’s shares have appreciated by approximately 4,000% and the airline has achieved record revenues, record profitability, and carried a record number of passengers.

It has also expanded dramatically and now serves all six inhabited continents. During his tenure, Air Canada was recognized by Skytrax as the Best Airline in North America in seven of nine years, and as the only four-star network carrier in North America. In addition, it won numerous other awards including Air Transport World’s 2018 Eco Airline of the Year and is one of Canada’s Top Employers.

In addition to his many achievements in the industry, Rovinescu has been awarded honorary doctorate degrees from six institutions: Université de Montréal, University of Ottawa, Concordia University in Montreal, University of Windsor, Pepperdine University in California, and Politehnica University of Bucharest.

Net Worth

Calin Rovinescu has an estimated net worth of $5 million.

Achievement

Rovinescu has also served on the boards of several other major Canadian companies, including the Bank of Montreal and Bombardier Inc. He is also a member of the Order of Canada and has received several other honors for his contributions to the business community. Some of these include:

In 2013, he was inducted into the Aviation Hall of Fame of Canada

In 2014, he was awarded the Order of Canada

In 2015, he was awarded the Order of Quebec

In 2015, he was also awarded the prestigious Léger-Robichaud award by the Conseil québécois sur le développement de la main-d’œuvre

In 2018, he was awarded the prestigious "Les Mercuriades" award for his outstanding performance in the management and leadership category.

Also in 2018, Rovinescu was recognized with the CEO lifetime achievement Award at the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) expo in Boston, and named the first CEO from the Americas to be presented with the Award by APEX.

In 2020, he was awarded the "Personality of the Year" award by the Quebec aerospace industry.

These are just a few examples of the many awards and honors Rovinescu has received throughout his career, reflecting his reputation as a highly accomplished businessman and corporate leader.