Traffic | The election of Posti's director to lead Finnair triggered a social media frenzy – this is how Turkka Kuusisto answers

Carrier Finnair said on Thursday that it has chosen Posti Group's CEO as its new CEO Turkka Kuusiston. Kuusisto will start his duties on July 11 at the latest.

Soon after the news came out, Kuusisto's appointment was celebrated on social media.

“Let's only fly every other weekday,” someone joked. “Passengers were not reached,” added another. “We went to the field, but no one answered when we rang the doorbell. The plane flew back to Thailand,” continued the third.

Postal Turkka Kuusisto, who has been CEO since February 2020, has to get used to angry customer feedback in her work.

The amount of letter mail is decreasing year by year, and operations have had to be streamlined and the level of service weakened.

At the same time, the number of package shipments has exploded.

As a kind of general concept, Posti often gets to hear its praise for the operations of other transport companies, in addition to its own problems.

Hex tree has also been a member of VR Group's board since 2022.

Citizens consider VR and Posti's barking as a kind of inalienable basic right, because both companies are owned by all of us.

The media is also excited to participate. If someone makes a fuss in VR's quiet mode, and the passenger gets pissed off, that's it news.

A hundred years old the state-majority listed company Finnair is similar. For many, that relationship could even be characterized as a love-hate relationship.

If friends reserve seats on the same flight with different reservations, but do not get to the newly reserved seats, it is newseven if the reservation conditions have warned about it.

Turkka Kuusisto, are you a masochist, or what makes you apply to these companies?

“Well, I think these companies, Posti and Finnair, are very important companies for every Finn. It explains the feelings towards them. Their services are meaningful.”

“I feel that I enjoy doing meaningful work in these meaningful companies.”

One person's bad customer service experience often makes the news, what do you think about such news?

“Each feedback is an important question for the customer, and an important service experience for the consumer. You have to listen to them with a sensitive ear.”

“Finnair is famous for its punctuality. Posti's services have also improved, and the customer experience has improved in recent years. Generalizations cannot be made from the experience of one customer, but it can guide the development of services.”

Kuusiston predecessor Topi Manner will leave Finnair on January 15 and start at Elisa's management at the latest at the beginning of March.

Continental predecessor Pekka Vauramo (2013–2018) was elected CEO of mining equipment manufacturer Metso-Outotec (now Metso), Mika Vehviläinen (2010–2013) as CEO of cargo handling company Cargotec and Jukka Hienonen (2006–2010) to the management of the construction company SRV.

For the last four times, Finnair has been a professional director's stepping stone on the way to the next listed company CEO position. You are 44 years old. Do you have the same plan?

“No. My plan is to make a long-term commitment to Finnair together with all Finnair employees.”

Finnair has come to know as a company that always chooses a professional director who has no aviation experience as CEO.

Tell me how you differ from your predecessors?

“I will not comment on my predecessors or the selection process. I bring my experience, but Finnair has a very experienced management team. I believe that we will move forward together.”

Finnair operational manager Jaakko Schildt serves as the CEO's deputy until the start of Kuusisto.

Kuusisto left his position as VR Group board member on the same day, January 11, when his Finnair appointment was announced.

Kuusisto had a notice period of six months in the post of Posti's CEO.