Press release submitted on behalf of Metsä Board

Metsä Board recently announced several new management changes to its corporate leadership team at its “Lead the Pack” press conference, held on June 9, 2026.

New Management Changes Include:

Esa Kaikkonen, CEO

Esa Kaikkonen leads Metsä Board as Chief Executive Officer, with overall responsibility for the company’s strategy, performance and long-term development. Under Esa’s leadership, Metsä Board focuses on becoming the leading partner for premium fresh fibre–based consumer brand packaging. With nearly three decades of experience within Metsä Group, Esa has held several senior leadership roles. Prior to his current position, he served as CEO of Metsä Tissue, Executive Vice President at Metsä Wood, and Executive Vice President, Strategy, as well as Group General Counsel at Metsä Group.

Anssi Tammilehto, CFO

Anssi Tammilehto is responsible for Metsä Board’s financial strategy, reporting and performance management. He leads the company’s Finance and Transformation Office, driving a more business‑driven operating and reporting model, advancing the use of data, automation and AI in finance and decision‑making, and supporting the execution of Metsä Board’s updated strategy. Before joining Metsä Board, Anssi held several senior leadership roles at Finnish oil company Neste, including SVP, Strategy, M&A and Investor Relations, as well as interim CFO, and has broad experience across finance, business control and investor relations.

Erja Hyrsky, SVP, Commercial Operations 

Erja Hyrsky leads Metsä Board’s commercial organization, which brings together global sales, marketing and sustainability, R&D, as well as sales services and commercial excellence. Under Erja’s leadership, the team drives customer-centric growth and innovation, ensuring that Metsä Board delivers value through both strong market performance and long-term strategic development. With over 20 years of experience at world-leading consumer goods companies such as Unilever and Procter & Gamble, Erja joined Metsä Board in 2025 after serving as a Member of the Board of Directors since 2021.

Minna Björkman, SVP, Containerboard

Minna Björkman leads Metsä Board’s containerboard business, with responsibility for its global growth and profitability, the renewal of the product portfolio, and the continuous improvement of innovation‑driven development and operational excellence. Minna joined Metsä Board in 2026 from another Nordic forest industry company, where she held several senior leadership roles across sourcing, logistics and industrial operations. Through her experience, she has built strong expertise in the forest industry and global packaging markets.