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Kirsti Paakkanen

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Finnish business executive (1929–2021)

Kirsti Paakkanen
Kirsti and Jorma Paakkanen in 1951
BornKirsti Kaarina Poikonen
(1929-02-12)12 February 1929
Saarijärvi, Finland
Died2 November 2021(2021-11-02) (aged 92)
Espoo, Finland
Occupation(s)Entrepreneur and business executive
Known forOwner and CEO of Marimekko
Spouse Jorma Paakkanen ​ ​(m. 1952; div. 1964)​

Kirsti Paakkanen (née Poikonen; 12 February 1929 — 2 November 2021) was a Finnish entrepreneur and business executive.

Career

Paakkanen studied advertising, and worked for many years in the marketing departments of Finnish retail companies including Elanto and Stockmann.

In 1969, Paakkanen set up her own advertising agency, Womena, which she ran for over 20 years, until selling it in 1990 to McCann.

In 1991, Paakkanen acquired the struggling design and fashion house Marimekko from the Amer group (now Amer Sports), and successfully turned it around, growing sales three-fold in a space of five years, and eventually listing the company on the Helsinki Stock Exchange in 1999. She retired from day-to-day running of the business in 2007, appointing Mika Ihamuotila [fi] as her successor; two years later Ihamuotila acquired her shares.

Honours and awards

In 1999, Paakkanen was appointed Yrittäjäneuvos (lit. 'Entrepreneur Counselor') by the President of Finland.

In 2002, she was awarded the Estlander Medal [fi] for her significant contributions to Finnish design.

She received two honorary doctorates, in arts (University of Art and Design Helsinki, now part of the Aalto University; 2001) and business (Helsinki School of Economics, now Aalto University School of Business; 2006).

References

  1. ^ "Paakkanen, Kirsti (1929-2021)". Kansallisbiografia.fi (in Finnish). National Biography of Finland. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  2. ^ "Kirsti Paakkanen - Marimekon pelastaja" [Kirsti Paakkanen - Saviour of Marimekko] (in Finnish). Yle. 17 April 2008. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  3. ^ "Paakkanen, Kirsti". Uppslagsverket.fi (in Swedish). Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  4. "Mainostoimisto Womena-McCann Oy" (in Finnish). Kauppalehti. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  5. ^ "Marimekon pitkäaikainen omistaja Kirsti Paakkanen on kuollut" [Marimekko's long-term owner Kirsti Paakkanen has died]. Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). 5 November 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  6. "Marimekko's bid for world domination". The Guardian. 20 September 2011. Retrieved 18 June 2022.

Further reading

  • Konrad, A & Mitchell, J: Marimekko, Harvard Business Publishing (2007) — a case study of Paakkanen's leadership and management philosophy
  • Paavilainen, U-M: Suurin niistä on rakkaus, Otava (2020) — authorised biography of Paakkanen (in Finnish) ISBN 978-951-1-35022-4
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