The Switch has announced the appointment of Miika Reinikka as new CEO.
Reinikka, currently is the VP in charge of the company’s wind division and will take over from Jukka-Pekka Mäkinen, incumbent CEO and Founder, on 1 July.
Yaskawa Environmental Energy /The Switch is a world leader in advanced drive train technology for the wind, marine and turbo/industry segments.
The firm is part of the Yaskawa Electric Corporation since 2014, focuses on supplying technology to help customers create, store and consume energy in a more responsible, sustainable manner.
Solutions such as its permanent magnet generators, power converters and hybrid technology provide efficient, environmentally friendly innovations that also deliver strong commercial benefits.
Unity and strength
“It is a huge honor to be taking on such a key role within this great business.
“I would like to thank both Yaskawa for giving me this opportunity and Jukka-Pekka for all his hard work through the years.
“This is a company with a strong sense of purpose, a clear vision and a highly respected reputation for a portfolio of truly world-class products.,” Reinikka said.
Continuing, he said, “I will be looking to help build on that, while also enhancing collaboration across our multiple sites and developing closer integration with Yaskawa.
“I believe the result will be a unified business that can always be trusted to provide the very best technology, service and environmental performance for our growing global customer base. I can’t wait to get started,” he said.
Reinikka has been with The Switch for the past decade, holding the position of VP Key Accounts before heading up the Wind business. Prior to that, he worked within various Director and VP-level roles in telecommunications businesses, including in Finnish stock-listed company Tecnomen.
Reinikka describes his working style as “practical, direct, hands-on and efficient,” an approach well suited to taking the company through its next growth stage.
Future focus
“I’ve always been impressed with The Switch’s personnel and ability to rise to new challenges, adapting quickly to change,” he says. “As a young company, our strengths were our agility and willingness to take risks – important attributes for a business looking to make its mark. Now, as part of Yaskawa Group, we will continue to mature and enhance our efficiency, while still retaining that special spirit of The Switch.”
“Furthermore, we will look to attract the best new talent to our fun, challenging and opportunity-rich working environment. This, allied to our existing expertise and market understanding, will help us consolidate our leading position in the industry for many years to come.”
A new top-level business structure is now being finalized to support Reinikka, with a fresh management team set to be announced before the summer. Further organizational changes and the confirmation of new positions will take place after the vacation period.
The Switch was founded in 2006 and has gone on to establish a leading position in its chosen segments. The business now has over 15 GW of megawatt-class environmental energy technology delivered for leading energy pioneers throughout the world.
Peace Obi
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