Kotka has been home to the forest industry for more than 150 years. The board and paper mill, founded in 1872, is today part of the international MM Group, which operates in 30 countries and employs more than 13,000 people. In Kotka, MM Kotkamills produces, among other things, virgin fibreboards for demanding packaging applications and saturating kraft paper. The mill has an annual production capacity of 585,000 tons of board and paper.
This is therefore a major industrial operation where long-standing traditions meet a constantly changing business environment. In 2025, MM Kotkamills once again entered a new phase.
Under the leadership of a new CEO, the company had launched a determined development program, with the first significant results achieved early on. At the same time, the wider MM Group was preparing its broader Fit for Future program, which the Finnish companies also joined in summer 2025.
The pace of change was fast, while the HR function was simultaneously facing a resource gap. An experienced professional was needed who could quickly step in, take responsibility and, above all, help drive the transformation forward. MM Kotkamills decided to bring in an experienced interim HR Director through Nordic Interim.
At the end of June 2025, Antti Uski joined the company as Interim HR Director and a member of the management team. His role was not only to ensure the continuity of day-to-day HR operations, but also to support the implementation of the ongoing development program while building a longer-term direction for people development. In November 2025, Antti also assumed responsibility for the Communications Director role.
Transformation does not happen through strategy alone
During the interim assignment, the management team and key people worked together to build a long-term development plan for the company. However, the work did not remain at the planning stage; implementation began already during the preparation phase.
From a people perspective, the focus was firmly on the future. How could the availability of skilled employees be secured? How could multi-skilling be strengthened? How could employees’ ability to work be supported during the transformation, while retaining key talent? At the same time, it was essential to ensure that everyday operations continued to run smoothly.
The core HR and communications functions continued without disruption throughout the Interim assignment. Work ability management and occupational safety were developed, key recruitments were taken forward, and critical roles within the organisation were aligned with the development plan.
During 2025, MM Kotkamills succeeded in making a significant turnaround, and work to strengthen the company’s new direction continued in 2026. The successful transformation was the result of the work of many people, but close collaboration between the management team and different functions played a central role.
The Interim Executive’s role was to contribute to this work, bring experience to support decision-making and ensure that people-related matters progressed at the same pace as the business.
“Things had moved forward, and I wasn’t walking into chaos”
MM Kotkamills CEO Marko Pekkola used an interim executive for the first time. According to him, the experience was extremely positive.
“We were able to move many things forward and accelerate the development of our ways of working.”
Pekkola highlights regular sparring as particularly valuable.
“The regular sparring sessions with Antti supported the implementation of the necessary changes. Overall, working with an experienced professional like him was extremely rewarding.”
The value of the interim period also became clear when Teemu Kälkäjä started as the permanent HR and Communications Director. For him, it was important that continuity in HR processes had been secured and that key matters had progressed.
“When I started in my new role as HR and Communications Director, it was easy to step in. Things had moved forward during Antti’s time, and I wasn’t faced with a raging fire or chaos.”
The interim solution therefore did more than simply fill a temporary resource gap. It also created a strong starting point for the next phase.
“Using an interim service accelerated my onboarding and helped me get up to speed in the role,” Teemu summarises.
Experience that stays within the organisation
Antti Uski’s assignment ended at the end of April 2026, when Teemu took over the role.
For Antti, his time at MM Kotkamills was also a special experience.
“The assignment was extremely rewarding, and within the management team we were able to establish key guidelines for the longer term. Collaboration with the CEO and my management team colleagues worked extremely well, and it was valuable to be involved in delivering the business turnaround”.
According to Antti, one of the best aspects of interim work is the opportunity to step into different organisations and work with leading professionals from different industries. At MM Kotkamills, the experience was also personally memorable.
“It was particularly rewarding to work in Kotka, in an environment where the roots of the Finnish forest industry run deep. But the best part was working together towards the future of the forest industry”.
The interim executive did not simply fill a position
At MM Kotkamills, the interim solution arose from a concrete need, but its value extended far beyond that.
The experienced interim executive brought expertise into the organisation precisely when it was needed. He ensured continuity in HR and communications, contributed to the business transformation, acted as a sparring partner for the CEO and management team, and helped build a direction for people development.
And perhaps just as importantly, he ensured that the next person could step into the role with a strong foundation from which to continue the work – one of the key strengths of Interim leadership.
At its best, an Interim Executive does not only help an organisation address its immediate needs, but leaves behind structures, clarity and capabilities for the next phase.
#Forestry #HumanResources #Pulp&Paper