On 29 December 2009 the general meeting of Meritaito Holding Ltd elected a Board of Directors for Meritaito Ltd, the state-owned company starting operations on 1 January 2010. The Board's term will begin on 1 January 2010.
The Board chairman of Meritaito Ltd will be Mr Matti Puhakka, a Director at the Social Insurance Institution of Finland.
The other Board members are Ms Susan Hindström, Senior Officer at the Ministry of Transport and Communications, Mr Pekka Leskinen, General Counsel, Legal Affairs at Itella Corporation, Ms Eeva Niskavaara, M.Sc. (Econ. & Bus. Adm.), Ms Kirsti Piponius, M.Sc. (Econ. & Bus. Adm.) and Mr Ahti Hyvärinen, as employee representative (with personal deputy Mr Timo Löytynoja).
Meritaito Holding Ltd was established for the start-up phase, and from 1 January 2010 it will continue as the state-owned limited liability company Meritaito Ltd.
Meritaito Ltd is a company set up to manage the production operations of the former Finnish Maritime Administration and the fairway service business of the former State Shipping Enterprise. The company's duties will consist of waterway management; use and maintenance of canals; duties related to prevention and combat of environmental damage; hydraulic engineering; planning and specialist services; hydrographic surveys; and other duties related to waterways and hydraulic engineering.
The state ownership policy towards the company will be applied by the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
Further information:
Mr Kari Jääskeläinen, Special Adviser to the Minister of Transport, tel. +358 44 058 1030
Mr Mika Mäkilä, Director of Corporate Policy Unit, tel. +359 9 160 28475, +358 40 595 6068
