Saari to Join Metso Leadership Team to Drive Growth, Culture, and Employee Engagement
Espoo, Finland, November 2025 – Metso Corporation has announced the appointment of Teija Saari as Chief People Officer and a member of the Metso Leadership Team, effective March 1, 2026.
Teija Saari, who holds a Master of Science degree in Business, joins Metso from Wärtsilä, where she currently serves as Vice President, Business HR and Internal Communications for the Energy division. She succeeds Carita Himberg, who will leave Metso after five years of significant contributions, including leading HR integration during the merger of Metso and Outotec. Hannele Järvistö will serve as interim Head of HR until Saari assumes the position.
“I’m excited to join Metso and go beyond to help execute its growth strategy,” said Teija Saari. “I strongly believe in the power of working together to serve our customers and create lasting value. I’m committed to building an environment where everyone can grow their skills, feel supported, and contribute to shared success.”
“Teija has extensive expertise in people leadership and a strong background in organizational development,” said Sami Takaluoma, President and CEO of Metso. “I look forward to working with her to further strengthen Metso’s employee engagement, develop our culture, and drive our strategic initiatives.”
Before joining Metso, Teija Saari served as Vice President, HR & Internal Communications, Energy Business at Wärtsilä, a global leader in sustainable energy and marine technologies. Based in Helsinki, she headed business HR and communications for Wärtsilä’s Energy Division, leading teams across 69 countries and driving initiatives that support the company’s transition toward a 100% renewable energy future. Her work focused on human capital strategy, talent development, and organizational transformation to support decarbonization efforts across global markets.
Prior to Wärtsilä, Saari spent nearly six years at Grundfos, Denmark, one of the world’s leading water technology and pump solution companies. She initially served as Director, HR Business Partner – Business Development, later rising to Senior Director HR Business Partner, Global Technology and Development, and finally Head of Center of Expertise for Global People Practices. At Grundfos, she led global initiatives in culture and leadership, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), learning and development, and organizational change, playing a vital role in the company’s transformation from a product-driven business to a solutions and services provider.
Before Grundfos, Saari built a distinguished 12-year career at Gardner Denver, where she held multiple HR leadership roles across Finland, Germany, and Denmark, including Regional HR Director, Sales & Service EMEA, HR Business Partner for Industry Sales & Marketing, and HR Manager for Gardner Denver Oy. During her tenure, she managed complex cross-border HR integrations following acquisitions, developed talent and leadership pipelines across 20 countries, and supported organizational growth across diverse industrial markets.
Earlier in her career, Saari began her HR journey at Alpress Oy in Finland, where she conducted her master’s thesis on strategy implementation in matrix organizations, establishing a strong foundation in organizational design and strategic HR.
About Metso
Metso is a global frontrunner in sustainable technologies, end-to-end solutions, and services for the aggregates, minerals processing, and metals refining industries. The company improves its customers’ energy and water efficiency, enhances productivity, and reduces environmental risks through innovative technology and service expertise.
Headquartered in Espoo, Finland, Metso employs nearly 17,000 people in around 50 countries, with 2024 sales of approximately EUR 4.9 billion. Metso is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki and continues to be recognized as a partner for positive change across global industries.
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