Kamux Corporation, Inside information, 17.11.2022 at 16:50
HAMEENLINNA, Finland, Nov. 17,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The founder and CEO of Kamux
Corporation, Mr. Juha Kalliokoski,
has decided to step down from his current position as CEO, and the
Board of Directors of the Company has appointed Mr. Tapio
Pajuharju, M.Sc. (Econ.), b. 1963, as the new CEO. The change of
CEO will take place during the first half of 2023, at a time to be
specified later, so that Tapio Pajuharju will assume his role as
CEO latest on June 1, 2023, and
Juha Kalliokoski will step down from
the Company's operative management at the latest on July 1, 2023.
Juha Kalliokoski founded Kamux in
2003 and has led the Company ever since. During this time, Kamux
has grown from a Company with one showroom to an international
Group with operations in Finland,
Sweden and Germany and the third largest retailer of used
cars in Europe. Kamux was listed
on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd.'s main list in 2017 and in 2021 the Group's
revenue was EUR 937.4 million.
Juha Kalliokoski is also the
Company's largest shareholder with a 14.7 percent ownership.
Tapio Pajuharju has a long and versatile career in Finland and internationally. He joins Kamux
from Harvia Plc, a global leader in the sauna and spa market, which
he has led as CEO since 2016. Prior to Harvia, Mr. Pajuharju has
worked for example as CEO of Hartwall (2014-2016) and Lumene (2004
- 2014), in various leadership positions in the Huhtamaki Group,
both in Finland and in
the United States (1997 - 2004) as
well as in the confectionery manufacturer Leaf in Finland and in Poland (1998-1997). Currently he is a member
of the Board of Directors at Kamux Corporation (2021 -) as well as
the Chair of the Board of Directors at Eezy Plc, a personnel
services company (2019 -). Pajuharju will continue as a member of
the Board of Directors at Kamux Corporation until the Annual
General Meeting of 2023.
Harri Sivula, Chairman of the
Board: "Juha is the creator of the Kamux concept and the heart and
soul of this great Company. On behalf of the Board of Directors and
the whole Company I wish to express my warmest congratulations and
appreciation to Juha for this exceptional success journey! We are
very pleased that as the largest shareholder, Juha's strong
interest in the Company will remain even though he, after a long
career, deservedly steps down from the operative management of the
Company."
"We could not be happier to welcome Tapio as the new CEO of
Kamux. International profitable growth is key to the Company's
vision to become the number one used car retailer in Europe. Tapio is an experienced professional
in sales and marketing as well as in concept and brand building
with a solid track record. In addition, having served as a member
of the Company's Board of Directors, Tapio already knows Kamux very
well."
CEO Juha Kalliokoski: "When I
founded Kamux 20 years ago, my goal was to make a living for my
family. During these years, together with the entire staff and the
Board of Directors, we have developed Kamux into a pioneer for the
entire industry, offering consumers an easier and more reliable way
to buy a used car. We have grown and internationalized at a fast
pace, profitably, and we are now Europe's third largest dealer focusing purely
on used cars. This is something to be proud of. During these years,
we have sold more than 400,000 used cars. I have given everything
to the Company and my dream has been to make Kamux into a
billion-euro Company, which we are very close to now."
"For me, now is a good time to step down from the operational
role. Tapio has a strong track record of growing and scaling
business internationally and he has the ability to spot the new
opportunities within the automotive industry. From the bottom of my
heart, I wish Tapio the best of success in his new role in taking
the Company from third to number one position in Europe."
"I want to thank my family and friends for all the support I
have received. I also wish to thank all Kamux employees, the Board
of Directors, thousands of partners, and the shareholders who have
lived with us through the various phases of the Company and the
market."
Tapio Pajuharju: "Kamux has had a long and successful journey
under the leadership of Juha and a competent team. I look forward
to working together with the team to further build and develop this
innovative pioneer in its field. Kamux has created something unique
in its field and we want to take it to the next level."
Kamux Corporation
Board of Directors
For more information:
Harri Sivula, Chairman of the Board
of Directors
Juha Kalliokoski, CEO
Tapio Pajuharju
Contacts:
Katariina Hietaranta, Head of Communications & IR, tel. +358
50 557 6765
Kamux is a retail chain specializing in the sale of used cars
and related integrated services that has grown rapidly. Kamux
combines online shopping with an extensive showroom network to
provide its customers with a great service experience anytime,
anywhere. In addition to digital channels, the company has a total
of 78 car showrooms in Finland,
Sweden and Germany. Since its founding, the company has
sold over 400,000 used cars, 68,429 of which were sold in 2021.
Kamux's revenue reached EUR 937.4
million in 2021. In 2021, Kamux's average number of
employees was 848 in terms of full-time equivalent employees. Kamux
Corporation is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd.
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