Olas strengthens its board with three top professionals
The Helsinki metropolitan area–based construction company Olas Group has appointed three independent professionals to its board to support the company’s growth ambitions. Pekka Vähähyyppä, Anna Tapio and Elina Rahkonen will now take part in shaping Olas’s future. Among the company’s founders,Henri Kajula will continue as Chair of the Board, while outgoing board members shift their focus to the executive management team
M.Sc. (Econ.) Pekka Vähähyyppä built a long career as CFO at Stockmann and Finnair, and currently serves on the boards of Finavia and the listed company Vincit. Vähähyyppä says he was inspired by Olas’s ambitious goals:
“The company’s level of ambition is high, and I immediately felt aligned with its values. I think it’s bold of the owners to bring in so much external perspective at this stage. My strongest expertise is in finance and funding, and I believe I can help Olas grow with my contribution.”
M.Sc. (Econ.) Elina Rahkonen, CEO of the listed company Wulff-Yhtiöt Oyj, already serves on the boards of listed construction sector firms Kreate Group and LapWall. With Olas, she gains yet another perspective on the industry. According to Rahkonen, Olas’s entrepreneurial drive and strong growth ambitions are particularly exciting:
“It’s great to be part of this story. My first impression is that Olas is well-positioned to capture market share in the coming years. My background is in finance, but I’ve also led a sales-driven growth company, and I believe this combination will be useful as Olas aims to reach the mid-sized category. I enjoy helping, and I’m sure I’ll learn a lot myself as well.”
M.Sc. (Econ.) Anna Tapio, CEO of the Housing Fair Finland (Suomen Asuntomessut), previously led marketing for Finland’s largest residential builders, YIT and SRV. She also serves on the boards of Masino Group and Telinekataja. In her current role, she has a front-row seat to the opportunities, challenges, and trends in residential construction—both in everyday practice and through extensive data. Tapio is eager to take on the opportunities that board work in a young company provides:
“Olas has a healthy, fair approach, and the work is built on a solid foundation. The company is still young enough that it hasn’t become set in its ways. I believe my expertise can help Olas grow into a pioneer in customer understanding in the construction sector.”
Board Chair Henri Kajula welcomes the new team with enthusiasm:
Board Chair Henri Kajula welcomes the new team with enthusiasm: “As is often the case in the early stages of a company, entrepreneurs have been wearing many hats within the organization. We felt this was the right moment to clarify roles and bring in fresh perspectives to the board. We are truly excited and grateful that Anna, Elina, and Pekka wanted to contribute their expertise to help us take Olas to the next level. Our goal is to profitably multiply revenue over the next five years.”
Founded in 2017, Olas Group builds geothermal homes from northern wood in prime locations across the Helsinki metropolitan area. In 2022, the company reported revenue of 14.2 million € and an operating profit of 1.5 million €. Its core values are honesty, trust, and quality.
Further information:
Henri Kajula
Chair of the Board
Olas Group Oy
henri.kajula@olas.fi
tel. 045 631 6186
