Merja Karhapää

Merja Karhapää

Boardman partner

Merja Karhapää

Professional history and Board experience

Merja Karhapää is Sanoma Group’s Chief Legal Officer, responsible for legal matters, IPR and Data Privacy. Karhapää has played an active role in driving Sanoma’s digital transformation. He has management experience in both acquisition and partnership negotiations as well as related financing arrangements. Previously, he has worked for Cultor Corporation and Valmet Corporation. He has particular expertise in anticipating the impact of the ever-changing regulatory environment and in practical implementation, especially in terms of effective use of data and IPR.

Karhapää holds a PhD (1987) from the University of Helsinki and has further developed his knowledge through postgraduate diplomas in Intellectual Property Law and Practice (1999) from the University of Bristol (U.K.), the London Business School Corporate Finance Programme (2005) and JOKO (41).

Karhapää is a member of the Board of Directors of the Deaconess Foundation and Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd and a member of the Nasdaq Nordic Advisory Committee. He has previously served as a member of the Board of Directors of Berggren Oy 2018-2022, as a member of the Board and Audit Committee of Biotie Therapies Oyj 2010-2016, as a member of the Board and Audit Committee of Finnair 2012-2014, as a member of the Supervisory Board of De Vijver Media N.V., Belgium 2013-2015 and as a deputy member of the Helsingin Sanomat Foundation 2009-2014. Mr Karhapää is also Chairman of the Legal Committee of the EK.

Activities in Boardman

  • Member of the Editorial Board working group 2020-2022
  • Member of the Board of Boardman Oy, 2017-2020
  • Alumni Board Member 2015- and Chairman 2016-2018

Expertise

  • Board experience in large and small listed companies, private companies and foundations
  • Data ecosystem (including networks, data privacy, AI, transformation)
  • Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)
  • Corporate and financial structuring
  • Corporate governance
  • Public participation
  • Media

Contact information

merja.karhapaa(a)boardman.fi

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