Katri Makkonen joins Miltton

Nordic consultancy Miltton Group has appointed Katri Makkonen to further strengthen Miltton’s expertise in understanding social change, the evolving business landscape and efficient communication practices. Makkonen will start in her role as Deputy Managing Director and Senior Advisor at Miltton Oy on October 1, 2020. Makkonen’s appointment is part of Miltton’s ambitious growth strategy of expanding its service offering and the recruitment of leading experts in the industry.

Katri Makkonen, (M.Sc.), is a well-established communications professional and award-winning journalist. She will join Miltton from the position of host of YLE’s leading current affairs programme, A-studio. During 2013–2019, Makkonen served as the Director of Communications of the President of the Republic of Finland. Prior to that, she worked at YLE as a foreign journalist, a Far East correspondent and an editor-in-chief of A-studio. For her work as a Chinese correspondent, she was awarded the 2008 Bonnier Grand Prize for Journalism. At Miltton, Makkonen will complement the company’s broad range of experts with her extensive understanding of society and the media landscape.

“This is a completely new angle to look and analyse changes that I see in our society. Our future looks foggy at the moment, hence all actors from different silos of society are needed to brighten the outlook. It is therefore even more important that companies and organisations are increasingly transparent and involved in societal debate. Responsible, constructive and bold openings are needed and it’s great to join Miltton’s experts on this mission,” says Makkonen.

During the current COVID-19 pandemic, Mathias Järnström, the founder and Managing Director of Miltton Group, sees opportunities for growth and renewal.

“I’m thrilled to have Katri as part of our growth story. The insight and expertise she brings further enables us to become our customers’ trusted advisors and speed-up the change and innovation that is now required from the entire Finnish business landscape,” says Järnström.

During the fiscal year 2019, Miltton Group’s net sales rose to EUR 37.5 million, an increase of 22% on the previous year. Miltton has grown at an average annual rate of 20-30% over the past decade, expanding its service offering from communication to influencing, marketing and management.

“Due to the corona crisis, this year will go down in history as a cold shower. In the future, those actors who stay creative and continue to innovate and deliver exciting and groundbreaking new services will survive in the midst of uncertainty. We believe in growth and that is why it is important that the recruitment of top experts like Katri and investments in new services should continue,” states Järnström.