Taina Susiluoto was involved in bringing a war criminal to justice. In the Olympic Committee, he wants to be a listening leader who can also improve the social position of sport and exercise.
Finland new CEO of the Olympic Committee Taina Susiluoto has been in hard places.
He was Helena Rannan as an assistant when Slobodan Milosevic brought to justice in The Hague for their crimes in the Balkans in the early 2000s.
“All my other jobs since then have been in proportion to it,” Susiluoto, 49, described her feelings at a press conference at the Olympic Committee in Helsinki on Friday.
Susiluoto is unlikely to take on a similar fire test in her new position, even though the CEO of the Olympic Committee was washed away by the windy Lookout.
In particular, it has been due to a case of harassment and suspected harassment that has come to the attention of the Olympic Committee in recent weeks.
Head of the Top Sports Unit Mika Lehtimäki resigned due to inappropriate behavior against women. Weightlifter Anni Vuohijoki resigned from the board of the Olympic Committee when he is suspected of harassing a deputy player of the Finnish national hockey team at the Beijing Olympics.
“The Olympic Committee must set an example for the sports and sports community. Trust must be able to be restored. Recent events are flaring, but progress is being made. I don’t know enough about the details of the cases yet, and it’s not my job to take a stand, ”says Susiluoto.
“It is important that the air is cleaned. It has been a sad and miserable case [Lehtimäen häirintätapaus]. ”
Jan Vapaavuori, Chairman of the Olympic Committee, introduced the new CEO Taina Susiluoto at a press conference. “The Olympic Committee needs a warm-hearted and determined leader.”
Of your choice Susiluoto only heard the CEO of the Olympic Committee the night before. He received a call and a text message from the chairman of the Olympic Committee From Jan Vapaavuori.
The Board of the Olympic Committee unanimously confirmed the election of Susiluoto at its meeting on Thursday evening. In all, more than 50 candidates applied for the position of CEO, five of whom made it to the finals for demanding tests and interviews.
The election of the CEO on the Board of the Olympic Committee was based on a five-member recruitment team, which in addition to Vapaavuori had vice-chairmen. Sari Multala and Susanna Rahkamo and members of the Board Hanna Hartikainen (Representative of the Golf Association) and Marco Casagrande (Football Association).
Susiluoto has a master’s degree in law, following five years as CEO of the Olympic Committee Mikko from Salosta.
“My heart pounded when I heard the place open. This is a great opportunity to lead a popular movement of two million people. The CEO of the Olympic Committee is of great importance, which I want to be promoting, ”says Susiluoto.
In addition to leading the popular movement, Susiluoto increased the development of club activities and securing funding for sports.
In his opinion, the right solution was to transfer the approximately EUR 150 million funding for sports and sports to general budget funds from Veikkaus’ profits.
“It is now important to ensure that funding remains at the same level for the next few years and in the government program after the 2023 parliamentary elections. There is a lot to be done to consolidate the social position of sport. ”
Perhaps the most important job for the CEO is to raise funds for the Olympic Committee. At present, of the Olympic Committee’s budget of EUR 10 million, own funding accounts for around EUR 4-5 million. The rest is government funding.
“You have to raise your own funds. We need to raise our ambition, ”Susiluoto said carefully.
Pandemian during which about 20,000 children or young people did not renew their licenses for the sport they practiced. Susiluoto wants the ruined hobby activity to recover as soon as possible.
“I would start a healthy race on how to get these 20,000 or a little more back. It is not self-evident that young people will return. ”
The Susiluoto family has three children, two of whom practice taekwondo at the competition level. Susiluoto and her husband are active in club activities at the Helsinki Taekwondo Society.
“I only started taekwondo as an adult. Then I learned snowboarding and windsurfing. I enjoy nature jogging with my dog. ”
Susiluoto’s wash starts on June 1, but he will likely be able to influence the selection of the new head of the Top Sports Unit before then.
“The choice of unit manager is important so that there are no setbacks in the management of an extensive network.”
His first job is to meet with Olympic Committee staff.
“That’s where we start.”
Susiluoto is a professional leader with long and varied work experience. He has previously worked in the Ministry of Defense and international organizations, among others.
He will join the Olympic Committee from the position of Director of the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK). At EK, he has been Director of Human Resources (HR) and responsible for training, digitalisation and immigration.
“As an HR manager, I know that many employees face similar situations as they do on the Olympic Committee, but they don’t end up in the same hard social debate. It shows that the Olympic Committee is interested. ”
Have you personally experienced inappropriate use or sexual harassment in many of your jobs?
“Not in the way that it should have been reported. Things are no stranger to any field in society, ”Susiluoto answered HS’s question.
What kind of CEO does the Olympic Committee get from you?
“Listening and approachable. Society is a red thread for me. I am going to work for the heart and raise the status of exercise and sports. I welcome the job. ”
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