Skip to content
4/15/2026

President and CEO and Group Leadership Team

President and CEO

The Board of Directors appoints the Managing Director (President and CEO), and it may appoint a Managing Director’s Deputy (CEO’s Deputy).

The Managing Director, including their related parties, is not involved in any substantial business relationships with the Company.

The Managing Director is a governing body provided for in the Limited Liability Companies Act that is in charge of the day-to-day management of the Company in accordance with the instructions and orders issued by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors appoints and discharges the Managing Director, decides on the financial benefits within the framework of the valid remuneration policy presented to the General Meeting and on other terms of the service, and supervises the operations of the Managing Director. The Managing Director may undertake measures that are unusual or extensive, considering the scope and nature of the operations of the Company, only with the authorisation of the Board of Directors. The Managing Director is responsible for ensuring that the Company’s accounting practices are in compliance with the law and that the financial matters are organised in a reliable manner.

Group Leadership Team

Kemira’s Group Leadership Team is an operative, non-statutory management body that is responsible for securing the long-term strategic development of the Company.

The Group Leadership Team consists of the Managing Director (President and CEO), the CFO, three business units heads, the head of Strategy & Sustainability, the COO, the heads of Research & Innovation, New Ventures & Services and People & Culture.

The Managing Director is the Chair of the Group Leadership Team and the head of Strategy & Sustainability acts as its secretary.

Antti Salminen

Antti Salminen

President and CEO
Chair of the Group Leadership Team

Born 1971, male, PhD (Eng.)
With Kemira since 2011

Career history

  • Kemira Oyj, President, Pulp & Paper segment, 2022-2024
  • Kemira Oyj, President, Industry & Water segment, 2014-2022
  • Kemira Oyj, Executive Vice President, Supply Chain Management, 2011-2014
  • KONE Corporation, Director, New Equipment Business, Asia Pacific, 2009–2011
  • KONE Corporation, Vice President, Delivery Process, 2005–2009
  • Capgemini Finland, Managing Consultant, 2000–2005
  • Helsinki University of Technology, Research Scientist, Project Manager, Program Manager, 1995–2000

Positions of trust

  • Chemical Industry Federation of Finland, Member of the Board since 2024
  • European Chemical Industry Council Cefic, Member of the Board since 2024
  • Geological Survey of Finland, Member of the Board since 2020
  • Operon Group Oy, Member of the Board since 2019

Tuomas Mäkipeska

Tuomas Mäkipeska

CFO
Member of the Group Leadership Team

Born 1978, male, M.Sc. (Econ.)
With Kemira since 2026

Career history

  • YIT Oyj, CFO and Deputy CEO 2021–2025
  • Lassila & Tikanoja Oyj, Business Director, Real Estate Services Finland 2019–2021; Interim CEO 2018; CFO 2017–2019; Business Director, Renewable Energy 2015–2017; Business Development Director 2012–2017
  • Deloitte Oy, Management Consultant, Strategy & Operations 2005–2012
  • Fiskars Oyj, Project Manager 2004–2005
  • Rieter Automotive Management AG, Market Analyst 2003

Positions of trust

  • Posti Group Corporation, Member of the Board of Directors, Member of the Audit, Risk and Responsibility Committee since 2025
  • Varma Pension Insurance Company, Member of the Supervisory Board since 2026
  • Keskinäinen Työeläkevakuutusyhtiö Elo, Member of the Supervisory Board 2022–2026

Tuija Pohjolainen-Hiltunen

Tuija Pohjolainen-Hiltunen

Executive Vice President, Water Solutions
Member of the Group Leadership Team

Born 1966, female, M.Sc (Eng.) in Clean Technology and Pulp & Paper Technology
With Kemira since 2008

Career history

  • Kemira Oyj, President, Industry & Water segment, 2023-2024
  • Kemira Oyj, SVP Commercial, Americas Segment Pulp & Paper, 2020-2023
  • Kemira Oyj, VP Commercial, Americas Segment Industry & Water, 2017-2020
  • Kemira Oyj, VP Business Service Center, EMEA, 2015-2017
  • Kemira Oyj, VP Post Merger Integration and Managing Director of Kemira Italy S.p.A,  2013-2015
  • Kemira Oyj, VP Business Development, Strategy, R&D, Global, Segment Municipal & Industrial, 2008-2013
  • YIT Environment Oy, Area Manager for Russia and New EU countries (Romania), 2005-2008
  • Skanska East Europe Oy, Project Procurement Coordinator, 2002-2005

Positions of trust

  • Cargotec Oyj, Member of the Board since 2024

Harri Eronen

Harri Eronen

Executive Vice President, Packaging & Hygiene Solutions
Member of the Group Leadership Team

Born 1974, male, M.Sc (Chemistry)
With Kemira since 2010

Career history

  • Kemira Oyj, Interim President, Pulp & Paper segment, 2024
  • Kemira Oyj, Senior Vice President, Commercial, Pulp & Paper segment, EMEA, 2017-2024
  • Kemira Oyj, Vice President, Sales and Technical Service, EMEA, 2014-2017
  • Kemira Oyj, Director, Applications, Paper, EMEA, 2013-2014
  • Kemira Oyj, Director of Business and Application Development, Paper, APAC, 2012-2013
  • Kemira Oyj, Senior Manager, R&D and Technology APAC, 2011-2012
  • Kemira Oyj, Manager, Water Quality Management, Espoo, R&D Center, 2010-2011
  • Ciba Finland Oy, Senior Technology Manager, Business Development, Global Applications, 2003-2009
  • Stora Enso Research, Research Scientist & Laboratory Manager, 1999-2003

Antti Matula

Antti Matula

Executive Vice President, Fiber Essentials
Member of the Group Leadership Team

Born 1976, male, Master of Eng. Chemical Technology & Paper Technology, Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT)
Doctoral candidate, Industrial Engineering & Management, Tampere University (TUNI)
With Kemira since 2002

Career history

  • Kemira Oyj, Senior Vice President, Global Product Lines & Business Development, Segment Strategy & Segment Supply, Pulp & Paper segment, 2019-2024
  • Kemira Oyj, Vice President, Global Product Lines & Business Development, Pulp & Paper segment, 2017-2019
  • Kemira Oyj, Vice President, Global Marketing & Business Development, Pulp & Paper segment, 2016-2017
  • Kemira Oyj, Director, Head of Marketing & Product Lines RBU EMEA, 2012-2016
  • Kemira Oyj, Director, Specialty Chemicals, 2011-2012
  • Kemira Oyj, Director, Paper Pigments, 2008-2011
  • Kemira Oyj, Sales and Marketing management positions in EMEA, 2002-2008
  • UPM-Kymmene Oyj, Process development engineer and production supervisor roles, Kaukas mill, 2001-2002
  • Stora Enso Oyj, Shift supervisor PM3, Anjala, 2000

Positions of trust

  • Wetend Technologies Ltd, Member of the Board since 2017

Simon Bloem

Simon Bloem

Chief Operations Officer, Operations
Member of the Group Leadership Team

Born 1970, male, M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering
With Kemira since 2025

Career history

  • Envalior, Vice President, Global Manufacturing Materials, 2023-2025
  • DSM Engineering Materials, Vice President, Global Manufacturing, 2020-2023
  • DSM Resins & Functional Materials, Operations Director EMEA, 2016-2020
  • DSM Resins & Functional Materials, Director S, H, E & Sec, 2014-2016
  • DSM Resins, Site Manager positions, 2006-2013
  • DSM Special Products, LCP Manager, 2000-2005
  • DSM Elastomers, Process Engineer, 1996-2000

Peter Ersman

Peter Ersman

Executive Vice President, New Ventures & Services
Member of the Group Leadership Team

Born 1975, male, M.Sc. Chemical Engineering, Energy and Environmental Technology
With Kemira since 2012

 Career history

  • Kemira, Senior Vice President, Global Product Lines & Supply Planning, Industry & Water segment, 2020-2024
  • Kemira, Vice President, Global Product Lines & Supply Planning, Industry & Water segment, 2017-2020
  • Kemira, Director, Commercial, Municipal & Industry, North Central EMEA, 2014-2017
  • Kemira, Director, Commercial, Municipal & Industry Nordic, Russia, UK & MEA, 2013-2014
  • Kemira, Managing Director, Kemira Norway, 2013 –
  • Kemira, Director, Commercial, Industry Nordic, 2012-2013
  • BASF, Country Manager Performance Chemicals Nordic, Global Key Account Manager, 2009-2012
  • BASF, Market Controller Chemicals Nordic, Account Manager, Key Account Manager, 2000-2009

Sampo Lahtinen

Sampo Lahtinen

Executive Vice President, Research & Innovation
Member of the Group Leadership Team

Born 1976, male, PhD (Food Chemistry)
Associate Professor, Department of Life Technologies, University of Turku
With Kemira since 2016

Career history

  • Kemira Oyj, Senior Vice President, Growth Accelerator, 2023-2024
  • Kemira Oyj, Vice President, R&D and Technology EMEA, 2016-2022
  • DuPont de Nemours, Inc., Technology Leader, 2013-2016
  • DuPont de Nemours, Inc., R&D Director, 2012-2013
  • Danisco A/S, R&D Group Manager, 2010-2012
  • Danisco A/S, R&D Platform Manager; Sr Scientist, 2007-2010
  • University of Melbourne, Visiting Researcher, 2005-2006
Linus Hildebrandt.

Linus Hildebrandt

Linus Hildebrandt

Executive Vice President, Strategy & Sustainability
Member and secretary of the Group Leadership Team

Born 1972, male, Master’s degree in Engineering Management
With Kemira since 2023

Career history

  • Covestro, Head of Corporate Strategy and Planning, 2017-2023
  • Kearney, Principal and COO Process Industries Practice Asia, 2013-2016
  • Roland Berger, Principal Chemicals China, 2011-2013
  • Roland Berger, Project Manager Chemicals and Oil, 2005-2011
  • Roland Berger, Consultant Chemicals and Oil, 2000-2005

Ulrika Dunker

Ulrika Dunker

Executive Vice President, People & Culture
Member of the Group Leadership Team

Born 1975, female, Bachelor’s Degree in Education from University of Gävle, Sweden
With Kemira since 2026

Career history

  • Alleima, Executive Vice President and Head of HR, 2020-2025
  • Ramirent AB, Executive Vice President, HR and EHS, 2017-2020
  • Kungliga Operan AB, HR Director, 2016-2017
  • Various positions within the Sandvik Group, including, Head of HR for IT, VP and Head of HR at Sandvik Venture and Sandvik Construction AB, 2007-2009 and 2010-2016
  • Boston Consulting Group, HR Assistant, 2000-2002
Back to top