Press Release 15/09/2011 at 10:00

In August Sanoma announced the change from a divisional organisation structure towards Strategic Business Units complemented with strong corporate functions. The company sharpened its focus on media and learning, seeking to accelerate its organic growth and improve its performance.

These are results of the One Sanoma process that Sanoma President & CEO Harri-Pekka Kaukonen launched at the start of the year. As part of One Sanoma, Sanoma will build on its competitive advantage by for instance improving its customer insight and innovating multiple media and learning solutions, and Sanoma aims to establish a high-performance culture.

By changing its operating model, Sanoma enables a clearer sense of direction, increased agility and readies the organisation for the start of several dedicated One Sanoma projects in the autumn. To strengthen the Group organisation further, the company is now announcing additional appointments in several Group functions.

CDO office

On 1 September 2011 John Martin was appointed as Sanoma's Chief Digital Officer. He is responsible for building Sanoma's digital strategy and driving the implementation on a number of areas including innovation, the creation of new digital business, the replication of concepts across markets, and partnerships and M&A on digital offerings. Martin takes on this new role whilst remaining responsible as COO for Sanoma Learning until 1 October, and handing over responsibilities until 1 December.

CFO Office

In the Finance office, the resources of the former Sanoma Media division in Amsterdam will be combined with those of the Group. This leads to a strong integrated function with broader skills and a good understanding of Sanoma's businesses. The changes in the CFO organisation are:

  • Eduard Boezer becomes responsible for the international ICT infrastructure and will report to Sanoma's CIO Päivi Hokkanen.

  • Lucas Bussink will continue in his role as Tax Manager with a broader responsibility in Group taxation.

  • Jeroen Kinders Vroklage joins the team in the area of Risk Management, reporting to Salla Puska (Vice President Finance & Group Controller).

  • Kare Laukkanen has moved from Investor Relations to Strategy Development. His main responsibility is the strategic planning process.

  • Sander van de Luur is appointed as Director Finance & Control, reporting to Salla Puska (Vice President Finance & Group Controller).

  • Paul van Driessen is appointed as Senior Vice President Group M&A. Sanoma has established a new function of Group M&A, responsible for Group-wide M&A processes and policies, representing the Group in transaction processes, participating in post-transaction steering teams, and maintaining a database of current and potential M&A activities and targets. Van Driessen will now build the resource base and network needed.

Human Resources Office

Sanoma's Chief Human Resources Officer Jacqueline Cuthbert is strengthening the Group HR function and re-establishing Sanoma's Corporate Communication to support Sanoma's change process and lead the function's professionalisation with five key appointments:

  • Robin Janszen is appointed as Vice President Communication and will be responsible for all corporate communication, focusing on developing Sanoma's internal communication related to the Group's change programme and on reputation management.

  • Maja Roosjen will join Sanoma as Vice President Organisation Effectiveness as of 1 November 2011. Roosjen joins from Royal DSM in the Netherlands. Coupled with her extensive international experience, she will support Sanoma in establishing a high-performance company.

  • Tuula Jokipaltio will become the Vice President Group HR services, responsible for all Group support staff based in Helsinki and Amsterdam. Jokipaltio will be responsible for Group-wide Talent Management as well. She will take up her full tasks on 1 January 2012.

  • Ritva Vuorinen, as Director Compensation & Benefits, will provide professional C&B services to Sanoma's management population and support the company in building a Group-wide mobility and reward & recognition programme.

  • Alongside his current role as Chief Human Resources Officer of Sanoma Media Russia & CEE, Gerard van der Molen will take on the additional assignment of scoping a Group-wide Leadership and Management Learning Architecture.

Next to strengthening the Group organisation, Sanoma's Strategic Business Units will confirm their own operating model, mirroring the Group organisation. Additional information will be published later today.

With the organisation structure in place, Sanoma is now ready to continue with the Group-wide change programme One Sanoma. An increasing number of dedicated projects will start in the autumn, aiming to change Sanoma into a high-performing company with clearly faster organic growth than before.

Sanoma Corporation


Robin Janszen
Vice President Communication

Additional information: Sanoma Group Communication, tel. +358 105 19 5062 or communications@sanoma.com

Sanoma.com

Sanoma inspires, informs and connects. As a diversified media group, we bring information, experiences, education and entertainment to millions of people every day. We make sure that quality content and interesting products and services are easily available and meet the demands of our readers, viewers and listeners. We offer a challenging and interesting working environment for nearly 20,000 people in over 20 countries throughout Europe. In 2010, the Group's net sales totalled EUR 2.8 billion.