Mr. Lars Hellberg, President & CEO of Fortaco and a member of Fortaco’s Board of Directors, has decided to retire on 1 January 2025. Fortaco’s Board of Directors has appointed Mr. Mika Mahlberg (M.Sc. Engineering), b. 1963, as Chief Operating Officer (COO) effective 1 November 2024 and Interim President & CEO as of 1 January 2025.
Currently, Mika Mahlberg works as an independent consultant and strategic advisor. Before his consultancy career, he spent 26 years at Konecranes, a global leader in material handling solutions. During his tenure at Konecranes, Mahlberg held several leadership positions, including Executive Vice President and Head of Business Area Port Solutions from 2017 to 2023; Senior Vice President and Head of Business Unit Port Cranes from 2008 to 2016. This autumn, Mahlberg has supported Fortaco in refining its strategy and enhancing operational efficiency.
“I want to warmly thank Lars, on behalf of the entire Supervisory Board, for his dedication and outstanding work in leading Fortaco over the past 11 years. Under Lars’ leadership, Fortaco has become the leading independent strategic partner for the global heavy off-highway equipment industries. We are happy to welcome Lars as a member of Fortaco’s Supervisory Board as of 1 January 2025 and thereby continue the co-operation in that role,” says Panu Routila, Chairman of Fortaco’s Supervisory Board. “Mika Mahlberg brings extensive experience in leading international businesses and has a deep understanding of Fortaco’s markets and our customers' needs,” Routila continues.
"My 11 years at Fortaco as President & CEO is a true, fun, and great learning experience. I am proudly reflecting what the Fortaco team has built – The Premium, Off-Highway Strategic Partner. Over these years, we have more than doubled our net sales, and we have established ourselves as a leader in the vehicle cabin industry and steel-fabricated components in Europe. Fortaco Group is perceived by customers and stakeholders as a strategic, full life cycle, Tier 0.5 partner for the leading OEMs in the off-highway equipment industry worldwide. I am looking forward to joining Fortaco’s Supervisory Board in January 2025 as a continuation of being a member in the Fortaco family. I wish Mika Mahlberg every success in his new role,” says Lars Hellberg, President & CEO of Fortaco.
“This autumn, I have had the privilege of working closely with Lars and the Fortaco team to refine the company’s strategy for maintaining its leading position within the off-highway industry. I look forward to building on the solid foundation established and supporting Fortaco's next strategic steps,” says Mika Mahlberg.
