WestJet Group has appointed longtime StandardAero executive Michael (Mike) Scott to the role of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
Scott joined StandardAero in 1989 and was named CFO in 2009 following several senior financial roles. He will join WestJet’s executive team on June 13.
“We are a year into successfully executing on the WestJet Group’s strategy to resume a long-standing track record of profitability,” WestJet Group CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech said. In announcing the appointment, WestJet noted Scott’s experience in asset and capital management, investor relations, and mergers and acquisitions. During his time at StandardAero, the company experienced seven changes of ownership.
Scott will now oversee financial management for Calgary-based WestJet, including accounting and financial reporting, planning and analysis, treasury, tax, procurement, supply chain, real estate and payment services teams.
He replaces former EVP and CFO Harry Taylor who retired from the company at the end of 2022 and takes the reins from interim CFO Jennifer Bue, who will transition to the role of SVP, finance and deputy CFO.
Scott hailed WestJet’s “new strategic focus on returning back to its roots,” adding, “the WestJet Group is in a unique position to successfully grow its business and bring more accessible air travel to Canadians than ever before.”
WestJet is currently awaiting a vote from its pilots on an agreement-in-principle announced in May, which narrowly averted a work stoppage. Terms of the proposed contract include an additional C$400 million [$299 million] in “new money” over four years, union leadership has disclosed, with von Hoensbroech calling the tentative agreement “industry-leading within Canada.”
