Aspo - Changes board/management/auditors

Leipurin Ltd to invest in emerging markets, Managing Director Matti Väänänen appointed to new position in Russia. Paul Taimitarha will start as the new Managing Director.

ASPO Plc        STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE      June 6, 2013 at 12:00

Matti Väänänen, Managing Director of Leipurin Ltd, part of Aspo Group, will
start in a new position in St. Petersburg to develop Leipurin Group's rapidly
growing operations in the eastern emerging markets. Väänänen's task is to secure
profitable growth for Leipurin Group in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine,
and to explore possibilities for expanding operations further to other CIS
countries. Matti Väänänen will start in his new position as Vice President,
Emerging Markets, on August 5, 2013."Russia has become the most significant market area for Leipurin Group. It is
essential that the development of the market is led as the most important
strategic area for Leipurin. Our objective is that Leipurin Ltd's operating
models and skills successful in Russia are transferred to other organizations
within the emerging area," says Matti Väänänen, current Managing Director of
Leipurin Ltd.

In Russia, Tatjana Nikulina will continue as the Managing Director of OOO
Leipurien Tukku. She will report to Matti Väänänen.

Paul Taimitarha (55) has been appointed as the Managing Director of Leipurin Ltd
and a member of Aspo's Group Executive Committee. He will start in his new
position on August 5, 2013. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of
Leipurin Ltd since 2009."Paul Taimitarha's extensive experience in managerial tasks within the food
industry and his thorough understanding of Leipurin's success factors provide
him with a quick takeoff in the management of Leipurin Group and strengthen
general business competence within the company," says Aki Ojanen, CEO of Aspo
Plc and Chairman of the Board of Leipurin Ltd. Paul Taimitarha has worked as the
Managing Director of Fazer Bakeries and Fazer Amica, and in managerial tasks at
Unilever Finland.

Vice President Johan Zilliacus will continue as the director of Leipurin Ltd's
Finnish, Baltic and Polish operations."Aspo has developed Leipurin Group determinedly, and the 2012 net sales were
already as high as EUR 131 million.  Market growth is expected to continue
strongly in Russia and other CIS countries. It is important that we are also a
partner to raw material manufacturers in the market area, thus being able to
reduce our dependence on imported raw materials. The rapid structural change in
the bakery industry and its modernization require more local management and
competence within Leipurin Group. I am delighted that Matti Väänänen starts to
lead our most important market area. Paul Taimitarha's experience and expertise
in leading food companies guarantee that the Group can be developed further as a
whole," says Aki Ojanen.

ASPO Plc

Aki Ojanen
CEO

For more information, please contact
Aki Ojanen, CEO of Aspo Plc, +358 9 521 4010, aki.ojanen (a) aspo.com
Matti Väänänen, Managing Director of Leipurin Ltd, +358 9 521 2103,
matti.vaananen (a) leipurin.com

DISTRIBUTION:
NASDAQ OMX Helsinki
Key media
www.aspo.com

Aspo is a conglomerate that owns and develops businesses in Northern Europe and
growth markets focusing on demanding B-to-B customers. The aim of our strong
corporate brands - ESL Shipping, Leipurin, Telko and Kaukomarkkinat - is to be
the market leaders in their sectors. They are responsible for their own
operations, customer relationships and the development of these. Together they
generate Aspo's goodwill. Aspo's Group structure and business operations are
developed persistently without any predefined schedules.



[HUG#1707613]