KILIAN JORNET BORN TO RUN - Amer Sports

Strategy shaper
According to Antti Jääskeläinen, strategy is not mere theory but a set of concrete
choices and actions. F Markku Rimpiläinen t Miika Kainu
You hold the position of Chief Development Officer.
How would you describe your tasks?
» I see to it that we, as a corporation, prepare for
the future as well as possible. We need the right
kinds of management processes, as well as a suitable
product portfolio and structure. What is more, the Group’s
resources must be properly allocated. The goal is to
grow profitably and maximize the value of the corporation.
Before joining Amer Sports, you worked at companies
such as Nokia, McKinsey and Stora Enso. What did you
learn from them?
» I saw that well-led corporations could work very
systematically when making decisions and allocating
their resources. In addition, I discovered that even big
companies can change! I have also been involved in
getting new things, both businesses and operating
methods, off the ground.
How and why did you get interested in Amer Sports?
» Amer Sports is a highly international and global
company that is going through an extremely interesting
phase of development. It is also easy to identify with the
company’s products.
You have worked at Amer Sports since the beginning of
December. Have these been busy times?
» Simply getting acquainted with an organization of this
size and its people takes time. In the past few months, I’ve
been closely involved in strategy work and in business
planning.
According to the press release on your appointment,
your position was created to strengthen Amer Sports’
management in strategic planning and execution. Has
the job description corresponded to reality?
» Basically, yes, but in practice the content of my tasks
changed very quickly after the appointment of the new
President and CEO. Starting at the company more or
less simultaneously with him has been very interesting.
I have had the opportunity to take part in matters on a
wide front.
What is important in strategy work?
» It is essential to be future oriented and to work based
34 || 3.2010
Q&A
on a vision. It is important to ask the right questions: what
do we need to do now in order to reach our target in, say,
three to five years. Strategy is not mere theory but a set of
concrete choices and actions. One of the key principles is
also that the people who execute business strategy must
also take part in creating it.
What is the difference between corporate strategy
and business strategy?
» Corporate strategy involves a few basic questions.
For example, what business are we involved in and why?
How are resources allocated to different units? How
should the corporation be managed to ensure that the
whole is more than the sum of its parts? Business strategy,
in turn, means that an individual business unit must
define how to reach the targets set and how to beat
competitors.
What is the role of geographic regions in Amer Sports’
strategy work?
» When working on our strategy, we also want to
emphasize the part played by geographic regions. We have
already increased interaction between brands and regions
and will further emphasize the importance of a marketbased
approach.
What issues are most important to Amer Sports at
the moment?
» In the short run, we must improve our performance
and get back on the growth track. We have to focus on
important issues and choose the battles that we really
want to win. It is important to seek synergies in places
where the potential is biggest.
These days, listed companies must operate transparently
and key stakeholders must be kept up-to-date at all
times. Does this show in your own work?
» It does, indirectly, but so far there’s been no need
for me to spend all that much time on external stakeholder
communications.
Do you participate in social media?
» Yes, but selectively. I keep up to date with what is
taking place in social media, but I don’t produce content
all that often.