Talentum Oyj - Company Announcement

The combination of Talentum and Alma Media makes headway, Talentum will have a new CEO

Helsinki, Suomi, 2016-01-15 13:00 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 

Talentum  Stock exchange release 15 January 2016 at 2.00 p.m.

The combination of Talentum and Alma Media makes headway, Talentum will have a
new CEO 

In accordance with the combination plan concluded between Talentum and Alma
Media, Talentum’s business operations and Alma Media’s Financial Media and
Business Services will be combined to form a new business unit in the course of
2016. In connection to this, the following decisions have been taken: 

Aarne Aktan, CEO of Talentum Ltd, will step down after the financial statements
for 2015 are released on 12 February 2016. Aktan will continue to work for
Talentum until the end of June 2016, acting as CEO of Talentum’s Swedish
subsidiary. 

“I thank Aarne Aktan for his contribution to Talentum and excellent
collaboration. In his position as CEO, he has been efficient and produced
results. Working in collaboration with his management team, Aarne has brought
Talentum’s business operations in Finland back on a growth path, in the face of
a difficult market situation. I am also delighted that he will continue to work
in the position of CEO of Talentum Sweden until the end of June, ensuring that
the Swedish subsidiary will be put back on track in a manner similar to that of
the Finnish business operations”, comments Kai Telanne, Chair of the Talentum
Ltd Board and President and CEO of Alma Media. 

“Talentum has been a great and rewarding project, and one to be completed in
the course of the spring. I am proud of our accomplishments over the past four
years. The combination of Alma Media and Talentum is quite something, and there
would have been many interesting positions at Alma also. I will announce my
plans for the future in the course of the spring”, says Aarne Aktan. “My work
will continue in the coming spring in the Swedish press business, where my
target will be to improve profitability.” 

As of 13 February 2016, Juha-Petri Loimovuori will act as CEO of Talentum Ltd;
he is also CEO of Kauppalehti Ltd. The following individuals, forming the
Management Team of the new business unit to be formed following the
combination, will be responsible for the unit’s operations: Arno Ahosniemi
(editorial staff); Tuomas Hämäläinen (content sales); Tiina Järvilehto (media
sales); Otto Mattsson (Kauppalehti Information Services); Tapio Teppo (Talentum
Events) and Pia Ruusukivi (digital development). The Management Team will be
supplemented later. The Management Team will begin work on 13 January 2016. 

As part of the combination process, the companies have agreed on transfers of
undertaking regarding certain operations of Talentum Media Ltd and Talentum
Ltd. Of the business operations of Talentum Media Ltd, editorials, media sales
and circulation sales will be transferred to Kauppalehti Ltd through the
transfer of undertaking. Similarly, of the operations of Talentum Ltd, customer
services and marketing will be transferred to Kauppalehti Ltd through transfer
of undertaking. 

These transfers of undertaking will take place on 1 February 2016. After the
transfers of undertaking, Talentum will continue its current business
operation, publishing its media and acquiring corresponding services in the
form of outsourced services from Kauppalehti Ltd under a separate service
contract, adhering to the current cost structure. 

In connection with the transfers of undertakings, starting from 1 February
2016, approximately 170 Talentum employees will be transferred as employees
retaining their current terms and conditions to the employment of Kauppalehti
Ltd. 

The transfers of undertaking to be carried out will have no significant effect
on Alma Media’s or Talentum’s profit or balance sheet. 

Talentum Corporation

Further information:

Kai Telanne, Chairman of the Board, Talentum Corporation
kai.telanne@almamedia.fi
+358 10 665 3500

Aarne Aktan, CEO, Talentum Corporation
aarne.aktan@talentum.com
+358 40 342 4440

Distribution:
NASDAQ OMX Helsinki
Principal media
www.talentum.fi


TALENTUM IN BRIEF

Talentum Corporation focuses on professionals with main products of magazines,
books, digital services, trainings and events. Talentum produces contents from
various fields of economy, law, management, HR, sales and marketing, ICT,
technology and health care with the mission to help professionals succeed. 

In 2014, Talentum's net sales totalled EUR 72.3 million. The company employs
720 persons in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia and Latvia. Talentum
Corporation is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. Read more: www.talentum.fi.