Kirsti Paakkanen
{{Short description|Finnish business executive (1929–2021)}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Kirsti Paakkanen
| image = Kirsti-Jorma-Paakkanen-1951.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Kirsti and Jorma Paakkanen in 1951
| birth_name = Kirsti Kaarina Poikonen
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1929|02|12|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Saarijärvi, Finland
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|11|02|1929|02|12|df=yes}}
| death_place = Espoo, Finland
| nationality =
| parents =
| spouse = {{marriage|Jorma Paakkanen|1952|1964|end=div}}
| other_names =
| occupation = Entrepreneur and business executive
| years_active =
| known_for = Owner and CEO of Marimekko
| notable_works =
}}
Kirsti Paakkanen ({{nee}} Poikonen; 12 February 1929 — 2 November 2021){{cite news |title=Kirsti Paakkanen - Marimekon pelastaja |trans-title=Kirsti Paakkanen - Saviour of Marimekko |url=https://yle.fi/aihe/artikkeli/2008/04/17/kirsti-paakkanen-marimekon-pelastaja |access-date=18 June 2022 |publisher=Yle |date=17 April 2008 |language=fi}} was a Finnish entrepreneur and business executive.
Career
Paakkanen studied advertising, and worked for many years in the marketing departments of Finnish retail companies including Elanto and Stockmann.
In 1969, Paakkanen set up her own advertising agency, Womena, which she ran for over 20 years, until selling it in 1990 to McCann.{{cite web |title=Paakkanen, Kirsti |url=https://www.uppslagsverket.fi/sv/sok/view-170045-PaakkanenKirsti |website=Uppslagsverket.fi |access-date=18 June 2022 |language=sv}}{{cite web |title=Mainostoimisto Womena-McCann Oy |url=https://www.kauppalehti.fi/yritykset/yritys/mainostoimisto+womenamccann+oy/02860995 |publisher=Kauppalehti |access-date=18 June 2022 |language=fi}}
In 1991, Paakkanen acquired the struggling design and fashion house Marimekko from the Amer group (now Amer Sports), and successfully turned it around, growing sales three-fold in a space of five years, and eventually listing the company on the Helsinki Stock Exchange in 1999.{{cite news |title=Marimekon pitkäaikainen omistaja Kirsti Paakkanen on kuollut |trans-title=Marimekko's long-term owner Kirsti Paakkanen has died |url=https://www.hs.fi/talous/art-2000008385751.html |access-date=18 June 2022 |work=Helsingin Sanomat |date=5 November 2021 |language=fi}}{{cite news |title=Marimekko's bid for world domination |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/house-and-homes-blog/2011/sep/20/marimekko-textile-design |access-date=18 June 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=20 September 2011}} She retired from day-to-day running of the business in 2007, appointing {{ill|Mika Ihamuotila|fi}} as her successor; two years later Ihamuotila acquired her shares.
Honours and awards
In 1999, Paakkanen was appointed Yrittäjäneuvos ({{literally}} 'Entrepreneur Counselor') by the President of Finland.
In 2002, she was awarded the {{ill|Estlander Medal|fi|Estlander-palkinto ja -mitalit}} for her significant contributions to Finnish design.
She received two honorary doctorates, in arts (University of Art and Design Helsinki, now part of the Aalto University; 2001) and business (Helsinki School of Economics, now Aalto University School of Business; 2006).{{cite web |title=Paakkanen, Kirsti (1929-2021) |url=https://kansallisbiografia.fi/kansallisbiografia/henkilo/9008 |website=Kansallisbiografia.fi |publisher=National Biography of Finland |access-date=18 June 2022 |language=fi}}
References
{{Portal|Finland}}
{{reflist}}
Further reading
- Konrad, A & Mitchell, J: [https://hbsp.harvard.edu/product/906C14-HCB-ENG Marimekko], Harvard Business Publishing (2007) — a case study of Paakkanen's leadership and management philosophy
- Paavilainen, U-M: Suurin niistä on rakkaus, Otava (2020) — authorised biography of Paakkanen (in Finnish) {{ISBN|978-951-1-35022-4}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Paakkanen, Kirsti}}