Senior management changes at Rapala VMC

Rapala VMC Corporation has made a number of changes at top management level, including the appointment of Jussi Ristimäki as Deputy Chief Executive Officer.

In addition to his current role as Chief Financial Officer, Ristimäki will have the overall responsibility of the group’s supply chain, working capital management and distribution in Nordic countries, South Africa and Eastern Europe, excluding Russia.

Aku Valta has been appointed as a new member to the Executive Committee to be in charge of the group’s lures sales, marketing, brands and web strategy in the rest of the world markets, excluding North America. Cyrille Viellard has also been appointed as a new member of the Executive Committee to be in charge of the group’s distribution in central Europe (Germany, Italy, Benelux) and the UK, co-ordination of Rapala’s partnership with Shimano in Europe and global supply chain management. In the latter role Viellard will report to Ristimäki.

There are also some changes in responsibility areas of other Executive Committee members.

These are: Jorma Kasslin, President and Chief Executive Officer; Olli Aho, Company Counsel and Investor Relations; Lars Ollberg, Head of Accessory and Outdoor Business and distribution in Asia; Juhani Pehkonen, Head of lure manufacturing and innovation; Stanislas de Castelnau, Head of hook and carp business, Group manufacturing excellence and distribution in France and Switzerland; Tom Mackin, Head of distribution and brands in North America; Victor Skvortsov, Head of distribution in Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. The Executive Committee will report to Jorma Kasslin.