Annual report VR-Group Ltd Board of Directors 2014
Board chair:
Hannu Syrjänen (b. 1951), LL.M., M.Sc. (Econ.). Previously worked as President and CEO of Sanoma Corporation. Board chair in: Orion Corporation and Lehtipiste Oy. Board member in: Realia Group Oy, the Finnish Fair Cooperative and the John Nurminen Foundation. Chair of VR-Group Ltd’s Board since 19 April 2011.
Vice chair of the Board of Directors:
Christer Granskog (b. 1947), M.Sc. (Eng.), Managing Director, Oy Piceum Ab. Previously worked as President, Kalmar Industries Group; Senior Vice President, Partek Oy; and CEO of Partek Cargotek AB, Sisu Group and Valmet Automation Oy. Board chair in: Oy Piceum Ab, Patria Oyj, Lännen MCE Oy and Arctia Shipping Oy. Board member in: Cavotec SA and Sarlin Group Oy Ab. Member of VR-Group Ltd’s Board since 4 April 2008.
Ordinary members:
Riku Aalto (b. 1965), Master of Administrative Sciences, Chairman of the Finnish Metalworkers' Union. Previously worked as Financial Manager, Finnish Metalworkers’ Union. Board chair in: VVO-yhtymä Oyj. Board member in: The Central Organization of Finnish Trade Unions SAK, Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Company and Industrial Employees TP. Supervisory Board member in: Unemployment Insurance Fund. Member of VR-Group Ltd’s Board since 19 April 2011.
Jarmo Kilpelä (b. 1957), M.Sc. (Econ.), Senior Financial Counsellor, Ownership Steering Department at the Prime Minister's Office. Previously worked as financial counsellor in the Ministry of Finance, as the official responsible for administrative and financial matters in the Government Guarantee Fund, as a researcher in the Bank of Finland and as a head of department, deputy head of department and corporate researcher at Säästöpankkien Keskus-Osake-Pankki. Board chair in: Governia Oy and Gasonia Oy. Board member in: Altia Plc. Member of VR-Group Ltd’s Board since 20 March 2013.
Antti Mäkelä (b. 1952), M.Sc. (Econ.). Previously worked as President and CEO of Sanomapaino Oy, Sanoma Lehtimedia Oy and Kymen Sanomalehti Oy. Board chair in: Kaakon Viestintä Oy. Board member in: St Michel Print Oy, Länsi-Savo Oy, Etelä-Savon Viestintä Oy and Finex Oy. Member of VR-Group Ltd’s Board since 4 April 2008.
Liisa Rohweder (b. 1960), D.Sc. (Econ.), Secretary General of WWF Finland. Previously worked as Senior Teacher at HAAGA-HELIA University of Applied Sciences, energy economy researcher and the head of petrochemicals logistics department at Neste. Board chair in: Lappeenranta University of Technology. Also serves as the member of the steering groups of WWF's Baltic, Living Himalayas and Global Arctic conservation programmes and the chair of the international WWF's Communications and Marketing Committee. Member of VR-Group Ltd’s Board since 20 March 2013.
Tuija Soanjärvi (b. 1955), M.Sc. (Econ.). Previously worked as CFO at Itella Corporation, Elisa Corporation and TietoEnator Corporation. Board chair in: Affecto Plc, Basware plc, Tecnotree Corporation, Metsähallitus, Silta Group Oy and Silta Oy. Also holds the position of vice chair of the governing body of the Finnish Orienteering Federation. Member of VR-Group Ltd’s Board since 28 March 2012.
Maija Strandberg (b. 1969), M.Sc. (Econ.), Vice President, Finance, Paper Business Line at Valmet Corporation. Previously worked as Managing Director of ALSO Nordic Holding and ALSO Finland Oy and as Vice President, Finance, in Metso Paper Oy, as CFO in GNT Holding Oy and Director, Finance, in John Deere Forestry Group Europe. Board chair in: Dustin Group Ab, Danske Bank Oyj and FinnSonic Oy. Member of VR-Group Ltd’s Board since 15 May 2014.
In addition, Maaret Heiskari was a Board member until 15 May 2014.
The Board members are independent of the company and of the shareholder, apart from Jarmo Kilpelä who represents the Ownership Steering Department at the Prime Minister’s Office.
As a rule the Board of Directors meets once a month. During 2014, the Board met 12 times and the average attendance rate of the Board members was 98%.
