Aki Saarinen

Aki Saarinen has extensive work experience in the forestry, pulp, and paper industry. Aki currently serves as the Project Director at Metsä Board starting from March 2022. Prior to this role, they held the position of Director, Investment Management at Metsä Group from August 2020 to August 2022. Before joining Metsä Group, Aki worked at IBM as the Global Lead for the Forestry, Pulp & Paper Industry from September 2017 to August 2020. Aki also co-founded and served as the CEO of Sellusta Finland Oy from September 2014 to May 2017. Aki has held various executive positions at Ahlstrom Oyj, including Executive Vice President of Business Development & Strategy from May 2012 to September 2014. Aki also worked at Metso Corporation as Vice President of Corporate Development, Senior Vice President of Paper & Board & Process Technology, Vice President of Project Management & Procurement, and as a Start-up Manager & Technology Manager at Burgo Verzuolo in Italy. Before joining Metso Corporation, Aki worked at Valmet Paper Machinery Oy as a Senior Paper Technology & Customer Service Manager. Their career in the industry began at UPM - The Biofore Company, where they served as a Research Manager and Technical Customer Service Engineer & Papermachine Superintendent.

Aki Saarinen completed their M.Sc. in Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology from Teknillinen korkeakoulu-Tekniska högskolan between 1986 and 1991. Aki also obtained an MBA in Strategy, Industrial Management and Leadership from the University of Jyväskylä from 2005 to 2008. In addition to their degrees, Aki Saarinen holds certifications such as Senior finance leadership module from Metsä Group Finance Academy (obtained in 2022), EFQM Assessor Certified from EFQM (obtained in February 2022), and IBM Industry Academy Membership (obtained in 2019).