The Finnish alumni clubs of the world's top universities presented Dr. Kirsti Paakkanen with Achievement Award of the Year 2007. This annual award is granted to an individual who, during the past year, has acted in an excellent fashion in an important matter pertaining to Finland.

Kirsti Paakkanen became the owner and President of Marimekko in September 1991. After sixteen years of determined work, Dr. Paakkanen informed the capital markets in October 2007 about a share transaction and agreement that would secure a key stake of Marimekko shares in Finnish ownership. At the same time she announced her successor - Dr. Mika Ihamuotila. He is the new main owner and took the position of Marimekko's President and CEO from February 1st, 2008.

During Kirsti Paakkanen's tenure, Marimekko rose from the midst of a Finnish economy in recession to a new renaissance. In addition, it was listed as a public company and attained the strongest ever economic position in its 56 year history. Dr. Paakkanen's leadership principles combine caring for people and creativity with successful entrepreneurial discipline and economic savvy. She has been recognized by the University of Art and Design Helsinki and Helsinki School of Economics with Honorary Doctoral degrees and by Harvard Business School with a case study on her leadership at Marimekko.

The Achievement Award of the Year is granted by the Finnish alumni clubs of Harvard, IMD, INSEAD and Stanford. Their reasons for awarding Dr. Paakkanen were: "During the past year, Dr. Kirsti Paakkanen has acted in an excellent fashion in an important matter pertaining to Finland by skilfully securing the future of Marimekko, which she had herself grown to a new renaissance."

During the award ceremony at the Alumni Ball 2008, Dr. Paakkanen stressed the importance of Marimekko spirit to the hundred strong audience as follows: "I am very happy about this award which I also take as a recognition to everyone working at Marimekko. My leadership philosophy - emotional leadership - is based foremost on respect for people and the belief that every person is uniquely talented, has unique creativity and unique skills. These sixteen years with the people at Marimekko have been the best time of my life. I was allowed to experience the joy of doing things together and a strong feeling of belonging to each other on fine days as well as less good ones. There was nothing impossible enough that I wouldn't get my people on board with it."

The Achievement Award of the Year was granted for the sixth time. The previous recipients of the award include Chief Surgeon Eero Hirvensalo, former UN Ambassador Max Jakobson, Record Producer and Manager Seppo Vesterinen, Chairman of the Clean Baltic Sea project Juha Nurminen and Eurovision Song Contest winning band Lordi.

For more information:
On behalf of the Achievement Award of the Year 2007 Committee

Seppo Väkevä
Mobile: +358 50 346 9474
e-mail: svakeva@mba1997.hbs.edu

Kaija Katariina Erkkilä
Mobile: +358 400 813 691
e-mail: kaija.katariina.erkkila@doveca.fi

Marimekko Corporation
Marja Korkeela
Tel. +358 9 758 7238
Fax +358 9 759 1676
Email: marja.korkeela@marimekko.fi

The Finnish Alumni Clubs of World's Top Universities

The Finnish alumni clubs granting the Achievement Award of the Year represent following international universities: Harvard, IMD, INSEAD, Stanford and Wharton (University of Pennsylvania). The clubs act as a networking hub to their
members, arranges conferences and support of their Alma Maters. The membership consists of graduates, former faculty and diploma holders of extensive executive programs of the universities.

Harvard Club of Finland

Harvard University, founded in 1636, now comprises 14 different schools of higher learning on its campuses in Cambridge and Boston, Massachusetts in the U.S. The faculty have produced more than 40 Nobel Laureates. Seven U.S. Presidents studied at Harvard.

Harvard Club of Finland embraces some 140 members representing all schools of Harvard. In 1997 the club established a fellowship foundation, Harvard Fund, to raise funds and grant scholarships for talented Finns to study, teach and conduct research at Harvard University. Other club activities include various membership events, lectures and seminars.

Additional information:
President Kalle Heikkinen
Mobile: +358 40 502 6863
e-mail: kalle.heikkinen@nag.fi

IMD Alumni Club Finland

IMD (International Institute for Management Development) is a leading international business school for MBA and executive courses. The campus, also called "The Global Meeting Place" is in Lausanne, Switzerland. There are research centers in Mumbai, India and Shanghai, China. IMD is also recognized for its IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook, which lists annually all countries in the world in order of their competitiveness. Finland has several times ranked as one of the top countries.

IMD Alumni club is the largest international Alumni Club in Finland with over 1700 Alumni. IMD supports the Alumni's' continuous learning by offering weekly web casts, a monthly bulletin, professor speaker visits at club events and a continuously updated Alumni network website. There is a bi- annual Alumni event and an annual club president's meeting as well as regularly organized club presidents' conference calls.

Additional information:
President Kaija Katariina Erkkilä
Mobile: +358 400 813 691
e-mail: kaija.katariina.erkkila@doveca.fi

INSEAD Alumni Association of Finland

INSEAD is recognized for its international MBA, PhD and executive courses. The school has two campuses, one in Fontainebleau in France and one in Singapore. A strategic alliance with Wharton Business School allows both faculty and students to exchange also to USA.

INSEAD is very international with over 23 000 alumni around the world representing over 130 nationalities. Over 50 Finns have graduated from INSEAD's MBA course and over 200 from executive courses.

Additional information: President Ossi Leikola
Mobile: +358 40 562 3456
e-mail: ossi.leikola@alumni.insead.edu

Stanford Alumni Finland

Located between San Francisco and San Jose in the heart of California's Silicon Valley, Stanford University is recognized as one of the world's leading research and teaching institutions.

Stanford University has over the years had over hundred Finnish academics, post graduate students, students and executives at its campuses. Most of the Alumni activities are centered around executives who have spend 6-7 weeks attending Stanford Executive Program SEP at Stanford Graduate School of Business.

More details on activities:
Matti Copeland (SEP 2000)
Mobile: +358 40 834 8999
e-mail: matti.copeland@aetb.fi