Metsä Group has made a key leadership change at its Kemi bioproduct mill in northern Finland, effective 1 December 2025.
Ari-Pekka Vanamo, now VP of Employment Relations, will take over as VP, Mill Manager.
He brings long experience in mill operations and labour relations, which positions him well to guide one of Europe’s most advanced pulp and bioproduct mills under Metsä Fibre.
Vanamo replaces Pekka Kittilä, who moves into the new role of Technical Operations Director. Kittilä has deep knowledge of the mill’s systems and will focus on getting the site to full performance. He will report directly to Timo Ahonen, SVP, Pulp Production.
This two-person leadership model aims to sharpen daily operations and support ongoing technical development. It also reflects the mill’s central role as it increases output of pulp, sawn timber and renewable bioproducts made from northern wood.
Metsä Fibre is the pulp and sawmill business of Metsä Group. Its operations in Finland produce pulp, sawn timber and selected bioproducts using northern wood sourced from managed forests. In 2024, Metsä Fibre reported sales of EUR 2.3 billion and employed about 1,500 people.
Metsä Group, owned by more than 90,000 Finnish forest owners through the Metsäliitto Cooperative, recorded EUR 5.7 billion in sales in 2024. The group operates across the forest-based value chain, supplying fibre-based materials for global markets.
Source: Metsä Group
