Ahlstrom names Helen Mets as president and CEO

 Saturday, December 17, 2022

Ahlstrom appointed Helen Mets as the president and chief executive officer for the company. She is to assume office from January 1, 2023. Helen will succeed current President and CEO Hans Sohlström, who has made significant contributions to Ahlstrom’s success since 2016, as the firm enters the next chapter of growth and transformation. At the end of December, Hans will depart Ahlstrom in order to pursue other chances outside the organisation.

Helen Mets has over 30 years of experience as a corporate executive. She has a track record of creating successful business and generating value for all parties involved. Helen has also held a variety of senior executive leadership positions at Avery Dennison, the Pon family business, and at Royal DSM, where, in her capacity as executive vice president of materials, she successfully oversaw the transformation of the Specialty Materials businesses into successful growth enterprises and oversaw their carve-out and divestment. Helen Mets has been a member of the Ahlstrom Board of Directors since December 2021.

Ivano Sessa, Chairman of the Board of Directors: “We are now starting the next phase of Ahlstrom’s transformation and the Board is excited with the nomination of Helen. Her track record of value creation in the specialty materials industry, her strong customer-focused mindset and her capabilities to drive large-scale growth and transformations through sustainable innovation make her a great fit for Ahlstrom.” Ivano continues: “On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Hans for his energetic and inspiring leadership. During his seven years at the helm of the company, first as Chairman of the Board, and then for the last five years as President and CEO, Ahlstrom has more than tripled its net sales and increased fivefold its EBITDA. We wish him all the best in his future endeavours.”

Helen Mets expressed her gratitude to the Board of Directors and her admiration for Ahlstrom’s values and heritage. She envisions working alongside Ahlstrom’s team to oversee their growth transformation, carry out their mission, and solidify the business’s position as a world authority in sustainable fibre-based speciality materials.

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