Board of Directors

The General Meeting elects the members of the Board of Directors.

Composition of the Board of Directors

The Annual General Meeting 2025 resolved that Kim Ignatius, Heli Iisakka, Tiina Kurki, Jukka Leinonen, Leena Niemistö and Mikko Wirén were re-elected to serve as members of the Board of Directors until the next Annual General Meeting.

Jukka Leinonen

Chair of the Board of Directors

b. 1962, M.Sc. (Eng.), Member of the Board of Directors since 2023 Chair of the Board of Directors since 2023

Independent of the Company and major shareholders

Board professional

Primary work experience:

  • Telenor ASA, Executive Vice President, Head of Nordics 2019–2022

  • DNA Plc, Chief Executive Officer 2013–2021

  • DNA Ltd, Vice President, DNA Corporate Business 2010–2013

  • TeliaSonera, various management positions in corporate business sales, marketing and product management 2002–2009

  • Sonera Oyj, Senior Vice President 2001–2002

Main simultaneous positions of trust:

  • Lassila & Tikanoja Oyj Chair of the Board

  • Vice Chairman of the boardof Posti Group Oyj

Leena Niemistö

Vice Chair of the Board of Directors

b. 1963, D.Med.Sc., Specialist in Physiatrics, Member of the Board of Directors since 2014

Board Professional

Independent of the Company and major shareholders

Primary work experience:

  • Pihlajalinna Plc, Senior Adviser 2016–2017, Deputy CEO 2013–2016

  • Dextra Oy, CEO 2003–2016

Main simultaneous positions of trust:

  • Chair of the Board of Nightingale Health Oy, Nextism Plc, Foundation of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet, Vapaus Bikes Oy, LymphaTouch Oy, Precordior Oy and DBC Global Oy

  • Member of the Board of Raisio Oyj, Yliopiston Apteekki, Digital Workforce Services Oyj

  • Vice Chair of Suomen Messut Oyj

  • Chair of the prize committee of Ars Fennica

  • Member of the Board of Maanpuolustuskurssiyhdistys (National Defence Course Association of Finland) and Pro Markkinatalous ry

Kim Ignatius

b. 1956, M.Sc. (Econ), Member of the Board of Directors since 2023

Independent of the Company and major shareholders

Board professional

Primary work experience:

  • Sanoma Oyj, Executive Vice President 2017, Chief Financial Officer 2008–2016,

  • TeliaSonera AB, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer 2003–2008

  • Sonera Oyj, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer 2000–2002

  • Tamro Oyj, Chief Financial Officer 1997–2000.

Main simultaneous positions of trust:

  • Member of the Board and Chair of the Audit Committee of Duell Corporation

  • Member of the Board and Chair of the Audit Committee of Elisa Corporation

  • Vice Chair of the Board and Chair of the Audit Committee of Yliopiston Apteekki

  • Chair of the Board of the Foundation of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet

Heli Iisakka

b. 1968, Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration, Member of the Board of Directors since 2022

Independent of the Company and major shareholders

Colliers Finland Oy, Chief Financial Officer

Primary work experience:

  • Anttila Oy, CFO 2015–2016

  • Mainio Vire Oy, CFO 2012-2015

  • Terveystalo Healthcare Oyj, CFO 2009-2012

  • Ramirent Oyj, CFO 2006-2009

Main simultaneous positions of trust:

  • Member of the Board of SRV Oyj

  • Member of the Board of DuuriGroup Oy

Tiina Kurki

b. 1970, M.Sc. (Econ), Member of the Board of Directors since 2023

Independent of the Company and major shareholders

Alma Media Plc, Alma Media Solutions, Executive Vice President

Primary work experience:

  • Alma Media Plc, Alma Media Solutions, Director, 2015–2017

  • Kauppalehti Ltd, Sales and Marketing Director 2013–2015

  • Silmäasema Ltd, Director, Sales and Marketing 2013

  • Iltalehti Ltd, Sales and Marketing Director 2008–2013

Main simultaneous positions of trust: -

Mikko Wirén

b. 1972, Lic.Med., Member of the Board of Directors since 2016

Dependent of the Company and major shareholders

Primary work experience:

  • Founded Pihlajalinna in 2001

  • Chair of Pihlajalinna Plc’s Board of Directors 2016–2023

  • Pihlajalinna Group's CEO 2014–2016. Pihlajalinna Terveys Oy, CEO 2005–2016

  • General Practitioner and Occupational Health Physician 2001–2011

  • Parkano Health Centre Physician 2001–2005

  • MWW Yhtiö Oy, CEO 2004–

Main simultaneous positions of trust:

  • Member of the Board of Eezy Oyj

Board of Directors and Committees

The Board of Directors is elected on an annual basis by the Annual General Meeting. According to the Company’s Articles of Association, there are a minimum of four (4) and a maximum of ten (10) members in the Board of Directors. The General Meeting shall elect the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors. The term of office of a Member of the Board of Directors shall expire at the close of the first Annual General Meeting following the election. In case the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors resign or become otherwise unable to act as the Chair during their term of office, the Board of Directors may elect from among its members new Chair of the Board of Directors for the remaining term of office.

The Annual General Meeting held on 24 April 2025 resolved that the number of members of the Board of Directors would be six (6) instead of the current seven (7). Kim Ignatius, Heli Iisakka, Tiina Kurki, Jukka Leinonen, Leena Niemistö and Mikko Wirén were re-elected to serve as members of the Board of Directors until the next Annual General Meeting.

The Annual General Meeting elected Jukka Leinonen as the Chair of the Board and Leena Niemistö as the Vice Chair of the Board.

The duties and responsibilities of the Board of Directors are defined in the Limited Liability Companies Act, the Company's Articles of Association and the written Charter of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors conducts an annual evaluation of its operations and working methods and updates its Charter as needed. According to its Charter, the Board of Directors:

  • considers and approves the Company’s long-term strategic plan and goals;

  • approves the Company’s business plan, budget and financing plan and monitors their implementation;

  • confirms the principles of the Company’s internal control and risk management;

  • reviews the material risks affecting the Company’s operations and their management, and supervises the adequacy, relevance and efficiency of the Company’s administrative processes;

  • processes and approves business acquisitions and arrangements and other significant decisions, such as large municipal outsourcings;

  • elects the CEO and deputy CEO, releases them from their duties and decides on the terms of their service;

  • confirms, based on the CEO's proposal, the members of the Group's Management Team, the heads of the operating segments and the direct subordinates of the CEO;

  • approves the incentive systems of the CEO and other management and the Company's remuneration principles;

  • approves the Company's Corporate Governance statement

  • confirms the Company's insider guidelines and practices relating to related party transactions and monitors compliance with these;

  • decides on the Company's disclosure policy and monitors compliance with it.

For the versatile support and development of the Company's business, the Company's Board of Directors composition should be sufficiently diverse. Both genders shall be represented on the Board of Directors. The overall aim of the Board composition is to achieve sufficiently extensive qualifications, expertise and experience. The sufficient diversity of the Board of Directors, including age and gender, as well as educational and professional background, is taken into account in the preparation of a proposal for the composition of the Board of Directors. For the evaluation of the diversity and composition of the Board of Directors, each candidate shall provide confident information necessary for the assessment of skills and time management for the preparation of a proposal for the composition of the Board, in accordance with the instructions provided by the Company.

The proposal for the Board composition is prepared by the largest shareholders.

The Board of Directors must evaluate the independence of its members. The majority of the members must be independent of the Company. In addition, at least two of the members representing this majority shall be independent of significant shareholders of the Company.

Jukka Leinonen, Leena Niemistö, Heli Iisakka, Kim Ignatius and Tiina Kurki are independent of the Company and major shareholders.

Pihlajalinna Plc's Board of Directors has established from among its members an Audit Committee which monitors the reporting process of financial statements and the efficiency of the Company’s internal control, internal audit and risk management systems. The Audit Committee also reviews the description of the main features of the internal control and risk management systems in relation to the financial reporting process, which is included in the Company’s Corporate Governance Statement, monitors the statutory audit of the financial statements and consolidated financial statements and corporate sustainability auditing, evaluates the independence of the statutory auditor or audit firm or authorized sustainability auditor, particularly the provision of related services to the company.

The members of the Audit Committee must have the expertise and experience necessary to perform the responsibilities of the Committee and at least one of the members must have special expertise in accounting, bookkeeping or auditing. The Audit Committee comprises three to five members who are elected from among the Board of Directors. The majority of the members of the Audit Committee must be independent of the Company, and at least one member must be independent of major shareholders.

The Members of the Audit Committee are Kim Ignatius (Chair), Heli Iisakka and Tiina Kurki.

Pihlajalinna Plc's Board of Directors has established from among its members a People and Sustainability Committee which assists the Board by preparing matters pertaining to the remuneration of the Company’s CEO and other management, as well as the Company's remuneration principles. The People and Sustainability Committee comprises three to five members.

When carrying out its duties, the People and Sustainability Committee acts independently of the Company's operational management. The majority of the members of the People and Sustainability Committee must be independent of the Company. The Company’s CEO or other person from the Company’s management cannot be members of the People and Sustainability Committee.

The Members of the People and Sustainability Committee are Leena Niemistö (Chair), Jukka Leinonen and Mikko Wirén.

All Content in Corporate Governance

Corporate Governance

This page provides an overview of Pihlajalinna's Corporate Governance.

General Meeting

The General Meeting is Pihlajalinna's highest decision-making organ.

Nomination Board

Shareholders' Nomination Board prepares future proposals concerning the election and remuneration of the members of the Board of Directors to the General Meetings

Board of Directors

The General Meeting elects the members of the Board of Directors.

Pihlajalinnan logo ja nimi valkealla seinällä vastaanottotilassa.

CEO and the Management Team

The Pihajalinna Group's Management Team assists the CEO in the operative business activity management.

Moderni ja valoisa Pihlajalinnan vastaanottoaula, jossa on oransseja ja punaisia sohvia, asiakkaita odotustilassa, sekä asiakaspalvelupisteitä vaalean sävyisessä ympäristössä.

Auditing and sustainability reporting assurance

The Company shall have one Auditor that shall be a firm of authorized public accountants with an APA certified Auditor acting as the Auditor with principal responsibility.

Insiders

Pihlajalinna complies with the Guidelines for Insiders of Listed Companies published by Nasdaq Helsinki.

Risk Management and Internal Control

Risk management forms part of Pihlajalinna Group's control system.

Silmälasipäinen ortopedi Pihlajalinnan lääkäritakissa katsoo potilasta, joka on selin kameraan.

Remuneration

The objective of all remuneration within the Pihlajalinna Group is to encourage good performance and motivate employees to work long-term towards achieving the company's goals.

Leikkaussalissa työskentelevät kirurgit ja hoitohenkilökunta suojavarusteissaan. Keskellä oleva nainen hymyilee kollegoilleen, luoden lämpimän ja positiivisen tunnelman.

Articles of Association

On this page, you can view the Articles of Association of Pihlajalinna Plc.