Meet the Finalists for Young Board Member of the Year 2024!
We are excited to present the exceptional finalists for this year’s Young Board Member of the Year award:
Nora Horling – Chairperson at Olvi
Niko Pakalén – Board Member at Metso and SKF AB, Chairman of the Nomination Board at Nordea
Kai Tavakka – Board Member at Remedy Entertainment, Careium, and SSH Communications Security
Congratulations to these inspiring leaders! The winner will be announced at Gala 2024 on 12.12.2024.
Let’s explore the board journeys and achievements of these finalists.
Nora Hortling: A dynamic and forward-thinking board leader
Nora Hortling has been the Chair of the Board at Olvi Oyj since 2023 and a board member since 2015. With nearly a decade of boardroom experience, she stands out as one of the youngest chairs in the Helsinki Stock Exchange, combining youthful energy with professional expertise.
In addition to her role at Olvi, Hortling serves as Chair of the Board at the startup Hailia Nordic Oy and is an active member of the Directors’ Institute of Finland (DIF) and also serves on its board.
She is recognized for her strategic thinking, change-making attitude, and dedication to building effective, high-performing boards.
Hortling is also a prominent advocate for advancing corporate governance practices. She mentors aspiring board professionals and is a frequent guest on podcasts and in media discussions.
While family connections influenced her initial entry to Olvi’s board, Hortling has firmly established her credibility as a leader and earned her place through skills and dedication.
She is an influential figure and role model in reshaping corporate leadership in Finland.
Niko Pakalén: A globally accomplished investor and board professional
Niko Pakalén, Partner at Cevian Capital, brings extensive expertise in corporate governance, having served on the boards of prominent publicly listed companies such as Metso, SKF AB, TietoEvry, and Neles. His impressive track record includes key leadership roles, including:
Metso: Member of the Remuneration and HR Committee
SKF Group: Member of the Remuneration and Sustainability and Ethics Committees
Nordea: Chairman of the Nomination Board
TietoEVRY: Member of the Audit and Risk Committee
Ericsson: Member of the Nomination Committee
In addition, Pakalén has been deeply involved in nomination processes for Metso Outotec, serving as a Member and Chairman of its Nomination Board from 2016 to 2023.
Pakalén has significantly contributed to major corporate transformations, including mergers, acquisitions, and spin-offs. Often the youngest member of the boards he serves, he brings a unique blend of youthful perspective and deep expertise, particularly in Nordic and international financial markets and corporate governance.
With extensive nomination committee experience, Pakalén is widely recognized as a forward-thinking leader, driving the evolution of boardroom dynamics across the Nordic region.
Pakalén is also active in the non-profit space as the Chairman of Human Practice Foundation’s Board in Sweden
Kai Tavakka: A strategic and results-oriented board professional
Kai Tavakka, Managing Partner of Accendo Capital, brings a powerful combination of business expertise and strategic insight to the boards he serves.
He has been a Board Member of Remedy Entertainment since 2024, Careium since 2022 and SSH Communications Security since 2020.
Tavakka focuses on driving the growth and success of publicly listed companies through proactive governance and thoughtful leadership. He is recognized for his strong expertise in finance, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), incentive systems, and investor relations (IR).
He has actively contributed to CEO recruitment, strategic planning, and resource allocation, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to enhancing board effectiveness and driving company performance.
As a board member, Tavakka consistently seeks to deliver significant value, supporting organizations in achieving their strategic objectives and long-term success.
