How do you stay energetic with such a global agenda?
Learning every day inspires me a lot. Every day is different for me. I talk to new people, different people, trying to learn all the time what will be beneficial for us, what are the products needed globally, what are the trends that I can utilize to make UPM a good participant and make good business. I want people to share ideas with me routinely as part of the information-sharing process.
What kind of green lifestyle do you practice?
In Finland, we recycle just about everything. We recycle paper, plastics, aluminum and glass. So that's our everyday life. Actually, we try to make use of resources efficiently.
What traits are important for you as a leader?
There are many basic values, in which trust and to be trusted are really important for me.
I cannot run a business on my own. So I need to be trustworthy and to trust many people. I also need to have the ability to tolerate different people and different ways of thinking. Hence, trust and to be trusted is quite important and is applicable to the whole organization.
What is your typical day in UPM like?
Actually, the harvesting operation is fantastic in Finland, so we have taken plenty of customers to see forest harvesting. Here I have a big picture to show you. He is President Xi Jinping, who visited our forest in 2010.
But there is no typical day for me. Today I am here in Shanghai, tomorrow I maybe in Changshu, next day may be somewhere else to meet new customers, investors.
How do you spend your weekend?
During the winter I skii a lot. I have been skiing since my childhood. In the summer I play golf on vacation trips.
Who do you admire the most?
My father and my mother, who taught me how to overcome difficulties.