Finnish flag carrier Finnair has appointed Turkka Kuusisto as its incoming CEO, as Topi Manner steps down to pursue a role at telecoms business Elisa.

Kuusisto joins Finnair from Posti Group, where he held the role of CEO since 2020. Prior to that he held served in leadership positions at both Posti and credit management firm Lindorff Group. 

He will take up the role at Finnair on 11 July 2024 at the latest, with Jaakko Schildt, Finnair Chief Operating Officer of Finnair, acting as an interim CEO until then.

“I am happy to welcome Turkka Kuusisto to take the helm of Finnair and drive the next phases of Finnair’s strategy,” said Sanna Suvanto-Harsaae, Finnair Chair of the Board of Directors.

“Finnair has restored its profitability after the historic double crisis, and the company is well positioned to continue to build a sustainable future, offering excellent connections via its Helsinki hub to both Finns and to customers travelling between Europe and Asia, the Middle East, and Americas.

“Turkka brings to Finnair his strong understanding of complex industries and his proven people leadership and strategy skills, which will benefit Finnair as Finnair now moves to the next phase in its strategy”.

Kuusisto added: “Finnair embodies to me Finnish spirit and global connections, and it has a long and unique heritage as a 100-year-old airline. 

“I am excited and humble to take on the role of CEO in this iconic company. Working side by side with all Finnair colleagues and carefully listening to our customers, I trust our joint journey will be a successful one”.

Last February, Finnair culled retail sales, saying onboard and pre-order shopping had become “less important” for its customers.