Jussi Pesonen is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Finnish pulp, paper and timber company UPM since 2004.
General
Jussi Pesonen is the President and Chief Executive Officer of UPM-Kymmene - one of the world's largest leading forest industry companies. Under Pesonen's leadership, UPM has reviewed its strategy as paper consumption started to decrease in Europe. The company has increased its operational efficiency and accomplished structural restructuring in the mature European paper market while investing in the Asian and Latin American growth markets. In addition, UPM has developed new businesses and products based on renewable materials. The Company has positioned itself as a Biofore company through the synergies of the traditional forest industry and new innovative wood-biomass products. Wood based biofuels, biochemicals and biomedical products are examples of these new innovations. In recognition of the company strategy, UPM has been selected as UN Global Compact LEAD participant and received several top recognitions for its sustainability performance including , MSCI’s and CDP’s AAA ratings.
Curriculum Vitae
Jussi Pesonen has been President and CEO of UPM since 2004. Prior to his appointment he also served as COO of UPM Paper Divisions and Deputy to the President and CEO from 2001-2004. He held several senior management positions in UPM Paper Divisions including Vice President of the Newsprint Product Group 1987-2001. Jussi Pesonen joined UPM in 1987 as a production engineer. Pesonen has a Master of Science degree in engineering in process technology from the University of Oulu, Finland.
Positions of responsibility
Jussi Pesonen has served on the board of UPM-Kymmene Corporation since 2007. In addition, he has been a board member of the Finnish Forest Industries Federation since 2003 and Chairman of the Board of Directors from 2006 to 2008 and 2014-2017, and a member on the Executive Committee from 2004 to 2007 and 2014 -. Jussi Pesonen has served as the Chairman of the since 2017. He has been a member of the ICC Finland Business Council in 2005 and 2013-, a Member of the Board 2006-2012 and 2017- and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of ICC Finland since 2017. He has also been Chairman of the Confederation of European Paper Industries 2012-2013. He has been a CEPI board member 2004 and a member of its Executive Committee 2006-2015. Through his leadership positions, Pesonen has emphasised the strong positive environmental performance of the forest industry and highlighted the exciting future prospects of the sector as a part of the developing bioeconomy. In addition to his industrial experience, he has also been a board member of Outokumpu Ltd from 2009 to 2012, the Chairman of the Board of Ilmarinen Mutual Pension Insurance Company 2012-2015 and a Member of the Supervisory Board at Ilmarinen from 2009 to 2011.
