In a rare occurrence, the dismissal of a board member caused an uproar at the general meeting in Jyväskylä, generating significant attention from both media and the public. The controversy surrounding the inner circle of the media company was the reason for this event happening outside of the capital region.
The board had proposed to dismiss one of its members, Riitta Vesterinen-Virtanen, due to a dating relationship with someone in the operational management of the company. Despite Vesterinen-Virtanen’s refusal to resign over her relationship, the general meeting ultimately voted to dismiss her with approximately 93.2% of shareholders supporting the decision. This is highly unusual in a listed company where departures are typically handled more discreetly.
The heated debate surrounding Vesterinen-Virtanen’s dismissal focused on whether a dating relationship constitutes a conflict of interest on the board. Various stakeholders presented arguments for and against the decision, adding further complexity to an already challenging corporate governance process.
In addition to Vesterinen-Virtanen’s departure, another highlight of
