Stora Enso has appointed Hannu Kasurinen as executive vice president (EVP), head of Consumer Board with immediate effect and, as of 1 January, 2020, head of Packaging Materials.
Packaging Materials is a new division created by Stora Enso through the merger of the container board business within its Packaging Solutions division and the company’s Consumer Board division.
Mr Kasurinen was previously senior vice president (SVP), Liquid Packaging and carton board in the Consumer Board division. He has held several other leadership positions at Stora Enso, including group treasurer, SVP of strategy and EVP, Wood Products. His new role sees him reinserted into the company’s group leadership team.
Stora Enso president and CEO Annica Bresky said, ‘Mr Kasurinen has long and diverse experience of working in demanding leadership positions in Stora Enso, previously including also a position in the group leadership team. I am very happy to appoint him to our group leadership team again. I am confident that his experience will be a valuable asset to the team, when we continue on our transformation journey as the renewable materials company.’
Mr Kasurinen succeeds Gilles van Nieuwenhuyzen, who will leave his position as EVP, Packaging Solutions on 6 December 2019 to pursue new career opportunities outside the company. The search for a new divisional head for Packaging Solutions will be initiated. David Ekberg, currently SVP and head of the Corrugated Nordics business unit within the division, is taking on the role as acting head of Packaging Solutions as of 6 December 2019.
Stora Enso has also named Jari Suominen as the new head of its new Forest division. This new division has been formed to drive value creation through sustainable and efficient forest management, and increase the transparency of the group’s forest assets. As a major player in the bioeconomy, access to wood fibre is a critical competitive advantage for Stora Enso to drive its future innovation portfolio. Wood is also the single most important raw material and the largest share of the group’s costs, as well as a large part of its balance sheet. Mr Suominen has led the company’s Wood Products division since 2014.
Mr Suominen commented, ‘Sustainable forest management and efficient wood supply are at the core of Stora Enso’s operations. Being in control of our raw material secures continuous innovation of sustainable products. This in turn drives substitution of fossil-based alternatives. I am very excited to take on this new role and develop our forest operations into the future together with a very skilful team.’
Ms Bresky said, ‘Jari comes from the customer side for our wood supply, so I am convinced that he has the best capabilities to develop our forest and wood supply operations.’
