Orion announces retirement of chief executive officer

Orion has announced the retirement of president and chief executive officer Jukka Viinanen and his replacement with Timo Lappalainen, with this change to take effect at the start of 2008.

Mr Viinaen will step down from his position on January 1st 2008 and will stay at the firm as a senior advisory to the board of directors at Orion until the end of February, when he will leave the company.

Currently employed as senior vice-president of the proprietary products and animal health business units, Mr Lappalainen joined the company in 1999 as senior vice-president of business development of Orion Pharma also holding responsibilities for IT and finance.

“Mr Lappalainen has been a member of the executive management board of the current Orion group since its beginning, [July 1st 2006],” the company reports.

Orion adds that – following his appointment to the position of president and chief executive officer at the firm – Mr Lappalainen will also assume the role of chairman of the executive management board of the Orion group.

In April 2006, Orion announced a number of structural changes to boost productivity and cost efficiency in its wholesale and distribution segment, with the closing of two distribution facilities and increased capacity of other sites.