Managing director Mikko Sakari Lehtinen died at his home in Espoo on December 27, 2021 due to a serious illness. He was 66 years old, born in Helsinki on June 26, 1955.
Lehtinen enrolled as a student at Lauttasaari Co-educational School in 1974 and graduated from the Helsinki School of Economics in 1977. During his career, he completed numerous additional studies, e.g. In Ashridge, UK.
Lehtisen began his career at John Nurminen Oy in 1977 as an import forwarder, then in Germany at the company’s then-agent Lassen GmbH. In the late 1980s, he was responsible for John Nurminen’s air cargo operations, and during his time the organization grew to be the largest in its field in Finland. In 1991, Lehtinen started as a member of John Nurminen Oy’s Management Team and Country Director for Air and Sea Freight Operations.
The forwarding industry underwent a major transformation in the 1990s with the acquisition of national players by large European companies, and Lehtinen was involved in the restructuring. The name of the employer company changed several times during the 25-year career of the country manager as the mergers followed one another: Nurminen Oy – ASG – Danzas – DPDHL / DHL Global Forwarding. Prior to his retirement, Lehtinen held DHL Group’s international development positions. He was also a member of the Board of the Freight Forwarding and Logistics Association from 1997 to 2015.
Colleagues and his subordinates described Lehti as a charismatic, in-depth, and honest leader who knew the staff well. The door to the study was always open, and he had enough time, support, and ideas. He encouraged the staff to take care of themselves, and already at the beginning of the millennium, all DHL Global Forwarding employees in Finland participated in a five-month occupational well-being program, in which a fitness program was created for everyone.
Excel spreadsheets were important tools for the analytical man, and not only in working life but also for the avid bench athlete in tracking sports results. Lehti was very interested in the changes in different areas of society, and discussing them with him was rewarding.
Leisure Lehtinen spent time moving with family and friends, enjoying good food and traveling. The youth basketball hobby was replaced by badminton and golf, with three hole-in-ones as merit.
Lehtinen’s close circle included his wife Liisa, children Miika and Lotta and four grandchildren, the oldest of whom were the grandfather’s scholarship ceremonies. After retiring, Lehtinen served as an important mentor and chairman of the board when her daughter started her own business, sharing her wisdom and skills with the next generation.
Lotta Lehtinen
Jan Lönnblad
The authors are Mikko Lehtinen’s daughter and a friend and colleague.
#Memoir #Mikko #Lehtinen