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Business

Finland’s biggest CEO payouts went to Lindholm and Hotard
Finland’s biggest CEO payouts went to Lindholm and Hotard

Casimir Lindholm, Justin Hotard, and Torbjörn Magnusson led Finland’s chief executive pay rankings last year, though only one of them still runs the company behind the payout. 

Lindholm, the former Hiab chief executive, topped the list with €14.3 million in compensation for 2025, while Nokia’s recently appointed Chief Executive Justin Hotard earned €6.8 million and former Sampo leader Torbjörn Magnusson collected €6.4 million, Kauppalehti reported today, citing listed companies’ remuneration reports.

The ranking underlines how long-term incentives, restructuring bonuses, and exit agreements increasingly shape executive compensation in Nordic listed companies.

Lindholm’s payout stood far above the rest of the field. He worked at Hiab for only part of the year before moving on to become chief executive of Meyer Turku. Most of the compensation came through long-term share-based incentives linked to the restructuring of Cargotec into Hiab and Kalmar, a process he helped oversee.

Hotard ranked second after joining Nokia from Intel, where he led the company’s data center and artificial intelligence operations. His compensation package reflected both Nokia’s global search for technology leadership and the need to replace unvested stock awards from his previous employer.

Magnusson, who previously led Sampo through a major strategic reshaping into a more focused Nordic insurance group, received most of his compensation through short and long-term incentive programs rather than salary.

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The rest of the top six was dominated by sitting chief executives. Nordea’s Frank Vang-Jensen earned €3.9 million, Wärtsilä’s Håkan Agnevall received €3.5 million, and Kemira CEO Antti Salminen collected €3.3 million.

Kauppalehti pointed out that former Valmet CEO Pasi Laine also remained near the top with €3.28 million despite leaving the company earlier. Laine, who led Valmet for roughly a decade and now chairs the boards of Neste and Konecranes, continued receiving salary payments even after stepping down.

According to Valmet’s remuneration report, the board decided to continue paying his salary until July 2025, in addition to severance compensation and long-term incentive awards tied to earlier performance periods.

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Authors

Emmi Laine is head of business content at Listeds and our lead for finance and business coverage. She sets the editorial agenda, interviews Nordic business leaders, and writes stories, newsletters, and social content on timely market and corporate topics. Emmi brings nearly eight years of experience from Shanghai's Yicai Global / Yicai Media Group, where she was awarded for reporting on China’s economy, finance sector, and technology innovation. She holds an MSc in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from ESADE Business School in Barcelona and a Master’s degree in International Design Business Management from Aalto University. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Culture Studies with a major in Journalism from Stockholm University and has studied Mandarin Chinese and Chinese culture. Emmi is a Finnish citizen and has lived in Finland, Sweden, China, and Portugal.

Emmi Laine is head of business content at Listeds and our lead for finance and business coverage. She sets the editorial agenda, interviews Nordic business leaders, and writes stories, newsletters, and social content on timely market and corporate topics. Emmi brings nearly eight years of experience from Shanghai's Yicai Global / Yicai Media Group, where she was awarded for reporting on China’s economy, finance sector, and technology innovation. She holds an MSc in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from ESADE Business School in Barcelona and a Master’s degree in International Design Business Management from Aalto University. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Culture Studies with a major in Journalism from Stockholm University and has studied Mandarin Chinese and Chinese culture. Emmi is a Finnish citizen and has lived in Finland, Sweden, China, and Portugal.

Authors

Emmi Laine is head of business content at Listeds and our lead for finance and business coverage. She sets the editorial agenda, interviews Nordic business leaders, and writes stories, newsletters, and social content on timely market and corporate topics. Emmi brings nearly eight years of experience from Shanghai's Yicai Global / Yicai Media Group, where she was awarded for reporting on China’s economy, finance sector, and technology innovation. She holds an MSc in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from ESADE Business School in Barcelona and a Master’s degree in International Design Business Management from Aalto University. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Culture Studies with a major in Journalism from Stockholm University and has studied Mandarin Chinese and Chinese culture. Emmi is a Finnish citizen and has lived in Finland, Sweden, China, and Portugal.

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