Editorial|Editorial
Finnair has been a visible place for professional managers, from where they can move forward in their careers.
Tgesture operator Elisa announced late on Friday evening that the CEO of the airline Finnair, Topi Manner, has been elected as the company’s CEO. In Elisa, Manner will manage a company that is almost ten times more valuable than Finnair in terms of market value, which Veli-Matti Mattila, who is retiring, has tuned into top condition during his 20-year CEO campaign.
Manner’s choice continues the pattern familiar from recent years, where Finnair’s CEO is transferred to the management of another listed company. Manner’s predecessor Pekka Vauramo (2013–2018) was elected CEO of mining equipment manufacturer Metso-Outotec (now Metso), Mika Vehviläinen (2010–2013) was elected CEO of cargo handling company Cargotec, and Jukka Hienonen (2006–2010) was elected CEO of construction company SRV.
In the selection of Finnair’s CEOs and managing directors, it has been typical that, with few exceptions, a professional director from outside the aviation industry is chosen for the position. This is how the first working years go when learning the legalities of the industry. Once the challenges of the industry have been mastered, there has already been a jump to the next management of a listed company.
Sometimes at Finnair, you could even try to choose the manager from within the house.
Finnair is the apple of the nation’s eye and a company larger than its size, where the crisis resilience of the executive management is tested. It is considered a good school.
Topi Manner, who came to Finnair from Nordea, is a socially gifted leader who managed to pilot Finnair through the crises caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the Russian war of aggression with honor.
Since the peak times of 2017, Finnair’s market value has collapsed. The generous help of the owners has also been needed, but right now it looks good – Finnair’s business profitability may even be the best in the company’s hundred-year history at the end of the year.
In June, Manner denied rumors that he was changing jobs – as a sitting CEO should of course do. At that time, Manneri’s name was mentioned in the CEO speculations of the forest company UPM.
Another often-seen phenomenon was also repeated in the appointment: after searching for time, Elisa’s board found the best CEO among its own. Topi Manner was a member of Elisa’s board.
The editorials are HS’s positions on a current topic. The articles are prepared by HS editorial staff, and they reflect the journal principle line.
#Editorial #Finnair #stepping #stone #professional #managers