Metso names Teija Saari as new Chief People Officer to drive growth and culture transformation

Metso names Teija Saari as new Chief People Officer to drive growth and culture transformation

(IN BRIEF) Metso has appointed Teija Saari as its new Chief People Officer, effective March 2026. Saari brings over 20 years of HR and organizational leadership experience from Wärtsilä, Grundfos, and Gardner Denver. She succeeds Carita Himberg, who is stepping down after five years of influential leadership during Metso’s merger with Outotec. Saari will focus on enhancing employee engagement, culture development, and advancing Metso’s growth strategy.

(PRESS RELEASE) ESPOO, 11-Nov-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Metso has announced the appointment of Teija Saari as its new Chief People Officer and member of the Metso Leadership Team, effective March 1, 2026. Saari, who holds a Master of Science in Business, brings extensive international HR leadership experience from her previous roles at Wärtsilä, Grundfos, and Gardner Denver. At Wärtsilä, she currently serves as Vice President of Business HR and Internal Communications for the Energy division.

Saari expressed her enthusiasm about joining Metso at a pivotal moment in its growth journey, highlighting her focus on collaboration, professional development, and creating an inclusive work culture where people can thrive. “I strongly believe in the power of working together to serve our customers and create lasting value,” she said.

Metso President and CEO Sami Takaluoma welcomed Saari’s appointment, noting her strong expertise in organizational development and people leadership. “Teija will play a vital role in strengthening employee engagement, developing our culture, and driving Metso’s strategic initiatives,” Takaluoma commented.

The company also announced that current Chief People Officer Carita Himberg will step down after five years in the role. Himberg, who joined Metso during the critical merger with Outotec, has been credited with shaping the company’s culture and global HR framework. Hannele Järvistö will serve as interim Head of HR until Saari officially assumes her position.

Teija Saari, born in 1981, is a Finnish citizen and currently serves as Chief People Officer. She holds a Master of Science in Business from the Turku School of Economics and Business Administration, completed in 2005. Over the course of her career, Saari has built extensive international experience in human resources leadership and organizational development. Since 2022, she has served as Vice President of Business HR and Internal Communications for the Energy division at Wärtsilä in Finland. Before that, she held several senior positions at Grundfos in Denmark, including Head of Center of Expertise for Global People Practices from 2020 to 2022, and Senior Director HR Business Partner for Business Development and Technology from 2017 to 2020. Earlier in her career, she worked at Gardner Denver Inc., where she was HR Director for the Sales & Service organization across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa from 2014 to 2017, following nearly a decade in various international HR leadership roles at the company’s Finnish operations between 2005 and 2014.

Further information:

Juha Rouhiainen, Vice President, Investor Relations, Metso Corporation, tel. +358 20 484 3253, email: juha.rouhiainen(a)metso.com

Heidi Valle, Vice President, Communications and Public Affairs, Metso Corporation, tel. +358 20 141 3406, email: heidi.valle(at)metso.com

Metso is a frontrunner in sustainable technologies, end-to-end solutions and services for the aggregates, minerals processing and metals refining industries globally. We improve our customers’ energy and water efficiency, increase their productivity, and reduce environmental risks with our product and service expertise. We are the partner for positive change.

Metso is headquartered in Espoo, Finland. At the end of 2024 Metso had close to 17,000 employees in around 50 countries, and sales in 2024 were about EUR 4.9 billion. Metso is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki.

metso.com

SOURCE: Metso