Meet the winners of the Nordic Listed Leaders Awards
The first ever Nordic Listed Leaders Gala (NLL Gala) took place last night at Valkoinen Sali in Helsinki, bringing together 100 leaders from Nordic publicly listed companies to celebrate leadership and innovation. The highlight of the evening was the recognition of top leaders across seven categories.
CEO of the Year: Liisa Hurme, Orion Corporation
CEO of the Year 2024, was presented to Liisa Hurme, CEO of Orion Corporation. Over her two-year tenure, Hurme has steered the company to financial stability and international expansion, including expansion to USA and Japan. In 2024, Orion achieved a major milestone, with annual sales of its prostate cancer drug surpassing €1 billion.
Employee surveys across Orion's 30+ countries highlighted psychological safety, high-quality management, and an excellent work environment under Hurme's leadership. With a workforce that is 57% women, women also hold significant roles in the executive team.
“Orion has excelled in multiple areas this year. Liisa’s leadership has delivered clear financial results, and her modern, inspiring management style makes her an exemplary leader,” commented Leena Niemistö, Chair of the Awards Committee.
Board Member of the Year: Lasse Aho
Lasse Aho serves on the boards of several companies, including Apetit Oyj, Puuilo Oyj, and Robit Oyj.
Board of the Year: Pihlajalinna Oyj
Pihlajalinna's board was recognized for exceptional results in customer and employee satisfaction as well as operational development. The board is chaired by Jukka Leinonen, with members Leena Niemistö, Kim Ignatius, Tiina Kurki, Mikko Wirén, Heli Iisakka, and Hannu Juvonen.
Future Leader of the Year: Mikael Rautanen, Inderes Oyj
Mikael Rautanen, CEO and co-founder of Inderes Oyj, has driven the company’s transformation from a startup to an internationally recognized public company with a focus on continuous development and innovation.
Young Board Member of the Year: Niko Pakalén
Niko Pakalén, a partner at Cevian Capital, has served on the boards of several major companies, including Metso, SKF Group, and TietoEvry. He has also chaired nomination committees at Nordea and Metso Outotec.
IPO of the Year: NanoEcho, Sweden
NanoEcho is developing an innovative diagnostic method for mapping cancer metastases, particularly in rectal cancer.
Nordic Listed Leaders Honorary Award: Leena Niemistö
Leena Niemistö was recognized for her extensive experience in corporate leadership and board positions across companies like Raisio Oyj, Pihlajalinna Oyj, and Digital Workforce Oyj.
Next Year's Gala: December 11, 2025
Founded to celebrate leaders who drive sustainable growth and inspire future talent, the Nordic Listed Leaders Gala aims to spotlight role models while fostering connections among leaders of public companies.
“We want to highlight new role models and simultaneously create connections among public company leaders,” Auramo summarized.
The next gala will be held on December 11, 2025, with registration now open.
Organizers and Partners
The event was made possible by partners including Nordea, Hannes Snellman, Adecco, IR Partners, Talouselämä, Hasan & Partners, and BrainBites.
Awards Committee and Selection Process
Winners were selected through a rigorous evaluation process considering factors such as financial performance, stock price development, sustainability, and diversity in leadership. Pre-screening was conducted on the BrainBites platform, which aggregates key financial data of public companies. Written responses and interviews were also used for select categories.
The final decisions were made by a distinguished committee:
Leena Niemistö, Chair
Tiina Olkkonen, CEO and Partner, IR Partners
Suvi Onkamo-Häkkinen, CEO, Adecco Finland
Riku Vassinen, CEO, Hasan & Partners
Sonja Siggberg, Partner, Hannes Snellman
Anni Erkko, Managing Editor, Talouselämä
About Nordic Listed Leaders
Nordic Listed Leaders (NLL) is a network established in 2024 to bring together executives, board professionals, and future leaders from Nordic public companies. NLL organizes events and training sessions to enhance leadership, provides analyses of board compositions and performance, and uses AI to help companies find suitable board and executive team members. Its mission is to strengthen Nordic leadership and support companies in achieving success through responsible and impactful management.
Notable members include Anne Brunila, Mikko Tahkola, Piia-Noora Kauppi, and Mikko Ayub. Nordic Listed Leaders was co-founded by Helene Auramo and Essi Sarkakari-Kosamo.
