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Mikko Kuusilehto, who has led Robit Plc's turnaround efforts since August 2025, will leave the Finnish drilling tools manufacturer as chief executive in December 2026 after less than 16 months in the role, the company announced today. His departure comes as Robit works to return to growth following a difficult 2025 and prepares to execute a newly secured pipeline of mining supply agreements worth EUR 7 million to EUR 10 million across Australia, North America and South Africa.
Kuusilehto succeeded Arto Halonen as CEO in August 2025 and is expected to remain with the company through a six-month notice period ending around Dec. 11, 2026. The board has initiated a search for his successor. No reason was provided for the departure beyond the standard statement that he will pursue opportunities outside the company.
"The company thanks Kuusilehto for his contribution to Robit and for his work in developing the company's business. Robit wishes him all the best in his future endeavors," Chair of the Board Harri Sjöholm said.
Turnaround showed early signs of progress
Kuusilehto inherited Robit, a Nasdaq Helsinki-listed supplier of drilling consumables and solutions for mining, construction and geotechnical applications, during a challenging period.
The company's 2025 results showed net sales declining 13% to EUR 78.8 million from EUR 90.3 million a year earlier, while comparable EBIT fell 32% to EUR 1.7 million. A profit warning had already been issued in October 2025 as construction market demand weakened.
His mandate was clear: restore growth and improve profitability.
By the first quarter of 2026, early signs of progress had emerged. Received orders increased 19% year-over-year to EUR 24.1 million, while comparable EBIT more than doubled to EUR 1.4 million. Comparable EBIT margin expanded to 6.5% from 2.9%. Net sales remained broadly flat at EUR 21.3 million, but the Americas grew 31%, and the Geotechnical business expanded 53%. Management attributed the improvement to increased sales activity, distributor support, operating model changes, and lower fixed costs. Robit subsequently reaffirmed its guidance for improved net sales and comparable EBIT in 2026.
Architect of Robit's commercial expansion
Much of Robit's commercial activity during the first half of 2026 carried Kuusilehto's signature.
He served as the company's primary public spokesperson while Robit renewed a long-term supply agreement with Agnico Eagle's Kittilä mine, signed new long-term agreements with Endomines' Pampalo and Hosko mines, appointed Jan Schroeder as VP Canada, and recruited Kimmo Kuusela from Glaston as incoming VP sales & marketing.
Only one week before his departure was announced, Kuusilehto welcomed Kuusela to the company and emphasized the importance of strengthening sales leadership to support growth.
The company also announced a portfolio of new mining supply agreements worth EUR 7 million to EUR 10 million in Australia, North America, and South Africa. In that announcement, Kuusilehto said the agreements reflected customer confidence in Robit's products and validated years of work testing products in demanding mining environments.
The timing is notable. The executive who spent recent months rebuilding the sales organization, securing new contracts, and positioning the company for growth will not oversee much of their execution. Deliveries under the newly announced agreements are expected to begin in the third quarter of 2026, during the CEO transition period.
Leadership changes continue across the company
Kuusilehto's departure is the most prominent move in a broader reshaping of Robit's management team.
Since March 2025, the company has recorded at least five senior departures and four appointments. Former CFO Ville Peltonen exited in April 2025 and was replaced by Ari Suokas. Halonen departed as CEO in August 2025 before Kuusilehto took over. More recently, VP Down the Hole Perttu Aho announced his departure effective Aug. 16, 2026, while Schroeder and Kuusela were recruited to strengthen Robit's North American and global sales organizations.
The overlap creates additional execution risk. Aho's departure will leave a vacancy in the Down the Hole business only months before Kuusilehto exits, creating simultaneous transitions in two senior leadership positions during a period when Robit is attempting to convert a stronger order book into sustained growth.
What the next CEO inherits
The incoming chief executive will inherit a strategy that is already underway rather than one that needs to be created.
The first priority will be sustaining the recovery that began in early 2026 and delivering on guidance for improved net sales and profitability. With received orders up 19% in the first quarter and comparable EBIT already reaching EUR 1.4 million against a full-year 2025 comparable EBIT of EUR 1.7 million, the trajectory has improved, but execution remains critical.
North America is likely to remain at the center of Robit's growth ambitions. The region was the company's strongest-performing market in the first quarter, with sales increasing 31%, and management has invested heavily in expanding commercial leadership across Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
The new CEO will also need to ensure that recently announced supply agreements convert into revenue. Mining deliveries are scheduled to begin in the second half of 2026, making operational execution during the leadership transition particularly important.
Another challenge is the Top Hammer business. Net sales in the segment declined 15% during the first quarter, making it Robit's weakest-performing business area despite remaining the company's largest source of revenue. A recovery in Top Hammer could have a significant impact on overall growth performance.
The incoming chief executive will also be responsible for integrating incoming VP Sales & Marketing Kimmo Kuusela, filling the vacancy left by Aho's departure, and managing an ongoing patent dispute with Sandvik Mining and Construction Tools AB.
Robit disclosed in March that Sandvik had filed a patent infringement claim related to a drill bit solution with a preliminary dispute value of EUR 2 million. Robit has denied the claim, and legal proceedings are expected to continue through at least the end of 2026.
What to watch
The board has provided no indication of how long the CEO search may take. While Kuusilehto's six-month notice period provides some runway, an external candidate could face notice obligations of their own, potentially extending the transition into 2027.
Investors will also be watching Robit's second-quarter results, expected in late July, for evidence that stronger order intake is translating into revenue growth. Progress in the Top Hammer segment, execution of newly won mining contracts, and the appointment of a successor to Aho in the Down the Hole business will be additional indicators of whether Robit's recovery remains on track.
The next CEO will arrive at a company showing signs of improvement, but one still in the middle of a commercial, operational, and leadership reset.
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