Mentor list / Mentor bio
Overview
Sanna Suvanto‑Harsaae was Chair of Anora Group (formerly Altia), where she steered the company through a comprehensive turnaround, guided its Initial Public Offering, and oversaw a major merger—establishing her reputation for delivering strategic clarity and shareholder value.
She is currently Chair of Finnair Plc, the flag carrier and largest airline of Finland, Chair of Orthex Oyj, a Finland-based manufacturer of household products, Chair of Posti Group Oyj, Finland’s state-owned postal and logistics service provider; and Chair of BoConcept A/S, a Danish premium furniture brand, privately held by private equity firm CataCap. She is celebrated for her ability to simplify complexity, foster high-performing teams, and embed purpose-driven, performance-focused governance across diverse sectors and ownership structures.
Her leadership across consumer, aviation, retail and logistics platforms underscores a rare depth of strategic governance and stakeholder stewardship across Nordic markets. Notably, in 2023, she led Finnair’s board through the industry’s most turbulent recovery phase, shaping a future-ready strategy post-pandemic.
She was previously Chair of TCM Group A/S, Svane Køkkenet A/S, Nordic Pet Care Group A/S, IsaDora AB, Paulig AB, Babysam A/S, and ECom Teams Sweden AB.”
Sanna built her executive career within leading consumer and FMCG businesses, including roles as Chief Marketing Officer and Strategy Director for prominent Nordic brands.
She brings deep cross-sector expertise in:
• Board governance & strategic oversight – chairing blue‑chip listed firms across aviation, logistics, retail and consumer sectors with a clear focus on financial resilience and strategic clarity
• Cultural & digital transformation – orchestrating value-led renewal through digital channel expansion, performance-oriented outlook and simplicity of purpose
• CEO & executive effectiveness – mentoring leadership teams on board-readiness, Board–C-suite alignment, and systematic decision-making frameworks
• Market-facing stakeholder engagement – embedding market insight and cross-functional alignment across business units and corporate boards
Educated at Lund University (BSc in Business Administration), Sanna has been Finland’s top‑ranked business leader for seven consecutive years and was named ‘Chairwoman of the Year’ in Denmark.
PDF Profile
download pdf profileMajor Career Roles
BoConcept AS
Chair
TCM Group AS
Chair
Posti Group Oyj
Chair
Orthex Oyj
Chair
Finnair Oyj
Chair
Elopak ASA and Broman Group Oy
Independent Board member
Other Career Highlights
Symrise AG
Board member
Scandinavian Airlines SAS
Independent Director
Anora/Altia Oyj
Chair
Paulig Oy
Chair
Harvia Oyj
Deputy Chair
Babysam AS
Chair
Swedish Match AB
Board member
Anora Group Oyj
Chair
Clas Ohlson AB
Independent Board member