Billerud, a Swedish producer of pulp and paper headquartered in Solna, has announced the appointment of Jaakko Nikkilä as President of Billerud Europe and a member of the Group Management Team.
Nikkilä is currently Executive Vice President at UPM, leading the Specialty Paper business area with global sales of about 1.5 billion euros. He has extensive experience in international sales and the production of fiber-based packaging materials. Nikkilä has been with UPM Group since 1995 and has been a member of the Group Executive Team since 2019.
“I am delighted that Jaakko Nikkilä will join Billerud to lead the Europe region, where the goal for the coming years is to strengthen performance through our existing production resources. I am convinced that his qualities and deep knowledge of the paper and packaging industry will be key for Billerud in the future,” says Ivar Vatne, President and CEO of Billerud.
Nikkilä, born in 1967, is Finnish. He will take on the role of President of Billerud Europe on May 1, 2025, and will be based in Stockholm. He succeeds Matthew Hirst, who left Billerud on January 31, 2025. Ivar Vatne will serve as interim President of the Europe Region from February 1 to April 30.