Former Air Canada president and CEO Calin Rovinescu has joined the board of directors and become an investor in Montreal-based Plusgrade, a provider of ancillary revenue solutions for the global travel industry.

During his tenure at the airline from 2009 to 2021, Rovinescu was twice recognized as Canada’s Outstanding CEO of the Year, and Air Canada was honoured as the Best Airline in North America by Skytrax in eight out of 10 years. He also held numerous other executive roles in the airline industry, including as Chairman of the Board of Governors of IATA, in addition to being a member of its Board for over a decade.

“We are thrilled and humbled to welcome Calin as an investor and board member,” said Ken Harris, founder and CEO of Plusgrade. “Calin’s experience as a world-class CEO, accomplished operator, and industry icon will be invaluable to our group as we continue to expand our presence in the travel industry and become the global ancillary revenue powerhouse.”

“The impact to-date and future potential of ancillary revenue across travel, hospitality and beyond is tremendous. Plusgrade is a unique leader in this space and very well-positioned to capitalize on these opportunities,” said Rovinescu.

Rovinescu also currently serves as a board member for BCE Inc., Canada’s largest telecom and media company, as well as the Bank of Nova Scotia, Canada’s third largest bank.

Over 200 airline, hospitality, cruise, passenger rail, and financial services companies use the Plusgrade platform to create ancillary revenues. The company has offices around the world.