Metsä Group boss wins RISI European CEO of the Year

RISI is an information provider for the global forest products industry. The company works with clients in the pulp and paper, packaging, wood products, timber, biomass, tissue and nonwovens industries. Its European CEO of the Year is nominated by a group of investment analysts and portfolio managers covering the European and global pulp and paper industry.

Metsä Group is a forest industry group that operates in international markets. Its focus is on tissue and cooking papers, paperboard, pulp, wood products, and wood supply and forest services. It is also said to be one of the leading producers and users of bioenergy in Finland. Jordan has been the president and CEO of Metsä Group since 2006.

On the reasons for selecting Jordan as the recipient of the 2016 European CEO of the Year award, one analyst said: ‘Under Jordan's leadership the performance and prospects of Metsä Group have been transformed over the last 4-5 years. The group was at risk of failing at one point, but the management team made a number of shrewd decisions in order to turn around the business. Sales were down over that period, but the bottom line and return on investment steadily improved and its investment in the new bioproduct mill is a signature to the renewal of the Finnish forest industry.’

‘The Metsä Group story is a great one when you look at where it was just a few short years ago to where it is now,’ confirmed another analyst. ‘It is a group with a lot going on – the Husum paperboard machine starting up early next year and the really exciting Äänekoski project to name just two. CEO Jordan is a worthy winner this year.’

RISI will present the award at its 18^th annual European Conference, taking place in Berlin, Germany from February 29 to March 2 next year.

Smurfit Kappa CEO Gary McGann was named as RISI’s 2015 European CEO of the Year.