Team size: 18

What are the projects that you are most proud of working on over the past 12 months?

Finnish forests are the starting point for Metsä Group’s operations, and health and biodiversity of the forests is an important issue for over 90,000 forest owner members of Metsä Group’s parent company Metsäliitto Cooperative. The guiding principle of Metsä Group is to increase the value of the owner-members’ forest assets, and our goal is to be a frontrunner in forestry operations combining ecological and economic development of forests.

During 2024, we have been able to promote these goals in the group’s legal and compliance team by supporting our business operations in several development projects, for example around regenerative forestry. Further our team has had opportunity to work in interesting projects aiming for developing new business and products for Metsä Group, such as Kuura, a new type of fibre material made from Finnish wood without fossil fuels, Muoto, a wood-based alternative to plastic and aluminium in food packaging, as well as Metsä Group’s development project aiming for large-scale capture of wood-based carbon dioxide generated at our pulp mills to be used as a raw material for products replacing fossil-based materials and fuels as the technology and markets develop. Legal support for these projects has presented our team with interesting professional challenges in several areas of law and have required close and successful cooperation both within our own team and with other operations and functions of Metsä Group.

In 2024 our team has also actively supported from legal perspective the implementation and completion of the group’s development investments both in Finland and abroad, for example approximately €300mn investment in the new Kerto LVL factory currently being under construction in Äänekoski, Finland, and the expansion investment of Mariestad tissue paper mill in Sweden.

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crisis to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

Pro-active approach in the management of legal matters and risks is naturally emphasised in uncertain times and in operating environment where unforeseen changes can occur very quickly. Preparations for different kind of crises have always been of high importance at Metsä Group, and for example, crisis management exercises are widely organised across Group’s various business operations and functions. Our Legal & Compliance team is actively involved in the management of risks and crisis by identifying risk areas and preparing and action plans for potential crises that may arise.

In addition to contractual and other more conventional legal means of risk management, in rapidly changing circumstances risk management requires close cooperation and efficient communication within our own team, as well as between business operations, lawyers and other group functions. When needed, the means of reacting to changes in the operating environment must be quickly available, and for example agreements must allow for various means of adapting to changing circumstances and necessary changes in contract relationships. Cooperation with customers, suppliers and other partners must also be proactive and various forms of cooperation and resiliency actions must be developed between contract parties.

What do you derive the most satisfaction from in your work?

In my current work, I like the most unique opportunity to work for the benefit of Finnish forest owners, with the aim of securing the development of the value of the forest assets of our cooperative’s owner members. Our owner-members manage their forests sustainably from one generation to the next, creating a solid foundation for the development of profitable and responsible business of Metsä Group. Our business is based on renewable northern wood, from which we sustainably and efficiently produce premium products to meet the needs of millions of people. It is great to be involved in this kind of meaningful work as a lawyer.

In general, our industry is at a very interesting stage, as global megatrends affect the growth of businesses, while regulation also contributes to changing the operating environment. Metsä Group has invested more than €6bn in the development of our production facilities since 2015, and many further investments are currently in the planning phase. These projects have presented our legal and compliance team with interesting challenges in several areas of law and provided great opportunities for professional development to our lawyers. Working as a team and closely with our businesses on these investment projects of great importance to our group has been very rewarding. As a lawyer, I am also interested in opportunities to be involved in renewing our operations, for example, in various innovation projects aimed at creating new products and services.

When it comes to the work of our legal and compliance team, it’s always great to see junior lawyers grow professionally for greater responsibilities when they are offered opportunities to do so.

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?

In the operating environment where changes are faster and faster, in-house lawyers must become more and more flexible and able to quickly change the legal support offered to the business. In the role as a trusted advisor to business management, in-house counsel must be able to think in a strategic way. The ability to prioritise and distinguish essential details from a larger picture is also increasingly emphasised.

The rapid development of technological tools and services requires lawyers to be able to use such new technology effectively, but also responsibly. As regulation increases and becomes more complicated, in-house lawyers must be able to communicate clearly and provide clear guidelines and recommendations. Finally, ability to identify and solve legal problems proactively and in an innovative way is always a valuable attribute for any legal counsel.