Risto E. J. Penttilä appointed as the CEO of the Central Chamber of Commerce of Finland

5.1.2010

PhD Risto E. J. Penttilä (50) has been appointed as the CEO of the Central Chamber of Commerce of Finland by a decision taken by the Board of Directors today. Currently, Dr. Penttilä is Director for the Finnish Business and Policy Forum EVA, and has been managing its operations since 2002. Previously he has served, among other things, as a Member of Parliament in Finland, Director for the World Economic Forum, Geneva, as well as in Oxford Analytica, a UK based consulting firm specialising in economic and political analyses. He is also currently the Secretary General to the European Business Leaders’ Convention.

Risto E. J. Penttilä will enter into the service of the Central Chamber of Commerce of Finland on 12 April 2010 and take over the tasks of CEO as of 1 May 2010. The present Director General, Dr. Kari Jalas, will retire in September 2010 at the age of 65.

The Chair of the Board of the Central Chamber of Commerce, Hannu Penttilä, President and CEO of Stockmann plc, led the selection committee and expressed his satisfaction with the process: “In the final straight, we had a group of extremely qualified and motivated candidates. Risto E. J. Penttilä’s wide-ranging expertise and networking, both nationally and internationally, were advantages that decided the competition in his favour.”

Risto E. J. Penttilä states that he is highly motivated to develop the operations of the Central Chamber of Commerce: “Jointly with the 19 regional Chambers of Commerce, the Central Chamber of Commerce of Finland plays an essential role in the supervision of interests, and it also is in a significant position as regards self-regulation within business life and the management of public tasks. For Finland to succeed, it is vital to safeguard an operating environment that will facilitate viable business operations in our country in the future as well. Moreover, collaboration with other organizations in the field of business and economy can be reinforced.”

For more information, please contact:

Hannu Penttilä, Chairman of the Board, Central Chamber of Commerce of Finland, mobile +358 (0)500 410 904

Risto E. J. Penttilä, mobile +358 (0)50 366 2395

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