Krista Halttunen, PhD, has been named the first CEO of Halton Group’s parent company, with the task of developing Halton Ventures into ‘a capable and active owner and investor, as well as an attractive development partner’.
Her grandfather, Seppo Halttunen, founded Halton in 1969, and her parents, Mika Halttunen and Tarja Takki-Halttunen, have been steering the family business for over 30 years. Halton Group describes itself as ‘a global technology leader in indoor air solutions for demanding commercial and public premises, workspaces, healthcare institutions and laboratories, professional kitchens, ships, and energy production and industrial environments’.
Founded two years ago, Halton Ventures invests in start-up companies, innovations, and investment funds ‘that improve built and indoor environments in a sustainable way’. It says ‘every investment is made with a long-term perspective, while new ventures and investments support its core business and unlock opportunities for renewal’.
Krista Halttunen said: “I feel that at Halton, I will have the opportunity to advance the green transition even more than in my previous roles as an academic and a civil servant. Halton gives me both the possibility and the responsibility to build new business activities with real impact. It feels good to take advantage of that. Value-driven family entrepreneurship and strategic business development are also important to me.”
Krista Halttunen is an international expert in sustainable development ‘and the green transition’. She has a Master’s in Physics and Philosophy from the University of Oxford, and a PhD in Environmental Policy from Imperial College London. She has also worked as a management consultant at the Boston Consulting Group, a policy manager at the UK energy regulator, and a sustainable finance researcher at the University of Oxford. She says taking on a CEO role in the family business was not an easy decision for her; it also meant moving back to Finland. However, the possibility of strategic development, active ownership, and ‘the opportunity to think big’ convinced her to make the move.
Chair of the Board, Tarja Takki-Halttunen, said: “Krista has knowledge and experience that suits the development of Halton Ventures very well. She also has an extensive international network. Halton Ventures enables the long-term strategic development of Halton Group. Factors affecting high-quality indoor air, the wellbeing of people, and the green transition are more important to us than the return on investment.”