Quick Facts
Biography
Matti Juhani Alahuhta (born in Alahärmä, Finland on 22 June 1952) was the President & CEO of KONE Corporation (2005–2014) and former Member of Nokia's Executive Board (1993–2004). He is a Chairman of the Board of DevCo Partners Oy and Outotec Corporation. He is also a Member of the Board of Directors of Kone Corporation (2003-), Volvo AB (2014-)and ABB Group (2014-).
Biography
Early life and education
Matti Alahuhta attained his M.Sc. (Tech.) in 1976 and D.Sc. (Tech.) in 1990 at the Helsinki University of Technology. His dissertation was titled "Global Growth Strategies for High Technology Challenges". Alahuhta has also earned an Honorary Doctorate from Tampere University of Technology.
Career
Alahuhta joined Nokia as a Research Engineer in 1975. From 1982 to 1984 he was a Sales Director at Rank Xerox and he returned to Nokia as a Sales Director for the Transmissions Systems Business Unit at a time when Nokia started its global expansion in its telecommunications networks business. After different roles with increasing responsibilities, he was appointed as President of Nokia Telecommunications and as Member of the Executive Board in 1993. In 1998, he was appointed President of Nokia Mobile Phones and in 2004 he was appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of the Nokia Group.
After joining KONE in 2005, Alahuhta immediately started a broad change program in the company which resulted in a successful development in KONE's business performance. On 28 January 2014 Alahuhta announced that he would be leaving his position of KONE CEO of on March 31, 2014.
Marriage and children
Matti Alahuhta is married to his wife Leena and they have two children.
Awards
In 1994, Matti Alahuhta was designated as a Knight for the 1st Class of the Order of the White Rose of Finland. In 2003, he was given the Commander of the White Rose of Finland badge of honour and in 2013, Commander, First Class, of the Order of the White Rose of Finland.