Endemol Shine Finland Names New Managing Director

Endemol Shine Finland has appointed Unne Sormunen as managing director, effective March 1, 2019, as Tarja Pääkkönen steps down from the position after 12 years with the company.

Sormunen previously was head of domestic programming at Nelonen Media, where he also served as an executive producer earlier in his career. He has worked in the television industry for more than a decade. In his new role, Sormunen will report to Karin Stjärne, the CEO of Endemol Shine Nordics.

Stjärne commented: “Tarja has been an incredibly inspiring colleague and has led our team in Finland expertly these past years, growing our business locally and creating incredibly strong relationships with the key broadcasters. We will miss her dearly and wish her all the best in her personal adventures.

“While I am sad to see Tarja go, I am extremely pleased to welcome Unne Sormunen as our new head of Finland. Unne is a very talented and bright leader with lots of very relevant experience, as well as drive and focus, making him an excellent addition to our Nordics leadership team. I look forward to working closely with him and Tarja over the coming weeks to ensure a seamless transition.”

Sormunen noted: “I am very excited to be joining such a talented and dynamic team. I believe that Endemol Shine has the best format catalog in the world and I look forward to continue building on the fantastic work that Tarja and Karin have already delivered over the years.”

Pääkkönen added: “Endemol Shine has been a home for me over these past 12 years and I am very proud of what we have achieved together as a team. But after 25 years in the TV industry, I would like to take some time to enjoy life and see what it brings. So while I am of course sad to be leaving, I am confident that I leave the business in excellent hands with Unne at the helm.”