F-Secure appoints new president and CEO

The F-Secure board of directors has appointed Samu Konttinen as the new president and CEO of the firm following the resignation of Christian Fredrikson.

As Fredrikson departs to pursue a leadership opportunity outside the company, Konttinen will take over the role on August 1st.

Konttinen joined F-Secure in 2005 and has held a wide range of senior management positions in the company, including executive vice president of sales and marketing, and executive vice president of F-Secure’s consumer business. Most recently he served as executive vice president corporate security business. Since 2009 he has been a member of the leadership team.

“The Board and I are pleased to announce the appointment of Samu as president and CEO of F-Secure. In his more than a decade with F-Secure he has proven his ability to drive innovation, and ensure a steady strategy execution that delivers growth. I’m confident that his winning attitude and relentless focus on execution will further speed up F-Secure’s transformation to the leading European cyber security company,” said Risto Siilasmaa, chairman of the F-Secure Board of Directors.

Konttinen commented: “I’m excited to take the role as president and CEO of F-Secure. Thousands of companies and millions of people around the world already trust us to defend them against cyber-attacks.

“With our strategy, we are well positioned for further growth. I’m proud that we employ some of the brightest minds in the security industry and, together with them, I’m looking forward to taking advantage of the new opportunities in the connected world.”

F-Secure aims to capitalise on the opportunities driven by increasing digitisation by increasing investments in the fastest growing corporate security markets, which include managed endpoint security services sold through the reseller channel, as well as cyber security services.

Investments in consumer security will continue at a level that targets profitable growth. To enable execution of the growth strategy, F-Secure is actively recruiting highly talented security professionals, rising cyber security talents and skilled sales personnel. The company also aims to pursue growth through mergers and acquisitions.

Christian Fredrikson became the CEO of F-Secure in January 2012. He led F-Secure through a critical period of transition, during which the company has refocused on security, divested its personal cloud storage business and acquired a Nordic security consultancy and services company to pave the way to becoming a cyber security leader.

“We thank Christian for his dedication and commitment to the company over the past four and a half years, and wish him the best in his future endeavors,” said Siilasmaa.