Metsäkonepalvelu Oy provides mechanical logging services to forestry companies, communities and private forest owners in Finland and Sweden. Founded in 1970, the group employs around 170 forestry professionals. From 2023, Metsäkonepalvelu Oy is majority-owned by A. Ahlström, and the Group is formed by the parent company Metsäkonepalvelu Oy and the subsidiary MKP Sverige AB.
The company’s customer base consists of major Nordic forestry companies, large private forest owners and the public sector. The company is headquartered in Hämeenlinna, Finland, and operates in Southern and Central Finland and the Eksjö area in Sweden.
Process clarity and quality of work as sources of trust
In early spring 2024, members of Metsäkonepalvelu’s executive management, board of directors and the main owner formed a working group to identify and recruit a new CFO for the company’s growth following the retirement of the former Finance Director, who had previously served in a similar role.
“We were looking for a strategic and forward-looking CFO to lead and further develop the company’s financial management function as a whole and to act as a strategic partner to the business,” says Teemu Tolppa, CEO of Metsäkonepalvelu Oy.
At the beginning of the recruitment process, the working group defined clear criteria for the recruitment and the role, after which the identification of suitable recruitment partners was initiated. Pasi Koota, CFO of A. Ahlström, who was part of the working group, explains how the aim in selecting a recruitment partner was to find a partner with specific local experience and strong networks to identify the right candidates.
“We considered it particularly important to have previous local experience in the Hämeenlinna and Tampere economic areas and a wide personal network of candidates. Based on the references we received and the competitive offer, we chose Avila as our partner,” says Koota.
A structured yet flexible process supports success
As the recruitment process evolved, a number of experienced CFOs became active in the recruitment process, both through a direct search and an advertisement campaign. In particular, the opportunities to develop and build on the position were seen as strong drivers for the role. The number of candidates who met the criteria set was a great source of satisfaction for the Metsäkonepalvelu’s team: “We were pleasantly surprised by how many candidates met the criteria set for the role. Avila’s team, they successfully identified and activated these candidates from this specific economic region for the recruitment process,” says Tolppa.
Successful recruitment of executives in particular requires a broad understanding of the client’s industry and strategy, as well as smooth communication with the stakeholders involved in the process. A smooth working style relies on a pre-defined action plan, but if necessary it can be easily adapted to the client’s needs: “The process was well defined and well managed. We appreciated that it could be changed to suit our needs if we so wished, and that our needs were taken into account in its implementation,” says Tolppa.
Strategic support at every stage of the recruitment process
Avila’s executive consultant, project manager and assessment psychologist supported the team to ensure that the recruitment process progressed and achieved its objectives. Successful collaboration is based on the ability to provide sufficient support, while ensuring that the client has the space and freedom to make decisions based on their own conclusions. Commenting on the collaboration, Tolppa says: “We also liked the fact that the Avila team provided strategic guidance during the recruitment process and led the process in a decisive way, while giving us enough space to decide and choose according to our own conclusions.”
In the recruitment of the CFO, the objective comparison of candidates before the final selection was supported by psychological suitability assessments. These assessments were perceived by Metsäkonepalvelu’s team as a clear added value and an essential factor in the recruitment decision making process.
“We saw aptitude assessments as a very essential part of this recruitment process. It confirmed our own perception and already supported the impressions we had gained of the candidates during the interview rounds. The results of the assessment confirmed our choice of the most suitable candidate. It also provided us with confirmation that all the essentials for success in the role had been identified,” says Tolppa.
Mirja Puttonen selected as the new CFO of Metsäkonepalvelu
As a result of a successful recruitment process, Mirja Puttonen was selected for the role and has started in her new role as CFO in August 2024. Puttonen brings to Metsäkonepalvelu several years of experience as CFO and a broad view of financial management and its development processes.
Tolppa commented on the collaboration in general: “As soon as the recruitment process started, it was clear that our first impression of Avila as a dynamic and agile operator was true. The team had the feeling throughout that we were being heard and that the team in Avila knew what kind of person we were looking for. A successful recruitment in every respect.”
Pasi Koota from A. Ahlström also comments on the successful cooperation: ‘The process went exactly as planned, we found what we were looking for. We were able to choose the best of the qualified candidates for Metsäkonepalvelu. We were also pleased that the feedback from the candidates on the Avila’s process was excellent.”
Avila wishes once again good luck to Mirja and a successful rest of the year for Metsäkonepalvelu.
Keywords
- direct search, executive search
Posted
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Matias Saarni
040 359 0156
matias.saarni[at]avila.fi