Patria establishes new CEO Office headed by Petri Vihervuori joining Group Management Team

To strengthen Patria’s strategic ambition to grow significantly in the upcoming years, the company has established a new unit, CEO Office, which will be headed by Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Petri Vihervuori as of 1 September, 2026. Vihervuori has been nominated also as a member of the Patria Group Management Team. He will be reporting to Patria’s President and CEO Panu Routila.

Petri Vihervuori is a senior ownership steering professional with more than 20 years of experience in a wide range of corporate functions, including over a decade in the defence sector. Vihervuori holds a Master of Arts degree from the University of Jyväskylä, majoring in corporate communications and stakeholder relations. His earlier career spans senior advisory and communications roles. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors of Patria from 2018 to 2024, including a period as Acting Chair (2019–2020).

“Patria has significant growth potential, and industrialisation is central to how we scale our operations while maintaining high quality, safety, and reliable on-time delivery. With the introduction of the CEO Office, we are advancing an increasingly ambitious, long-term strategy that supports sustainable growth and strengthens our role as a trusted partner,” says Panu Routila, President and CEO of Patria. “We warmly welcome Petri to Patria as a seasoned and known professional, deeply involved with the industry and operations.”

“Patria is at a very interesting development stage. The company’s growth and profitability potential remains strong even after reaching the billion‑euro level. I am fully committed, with both enthusiasm and humility, to driving the company’s growth and development and delivering on our customer promises in the years ahead,” says Petri Vihervuori, Patria’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer.

Patria’s CEO Office is a new unit combining Group Communications and Governmental Affairs functions, including EU and NATO relationships. Patria transitioned into a new operating model on 1 June 2025, following a broad organisational transformation to support the company’s growth and strategic objectives. The establishment of the CEO Office is a targeted step to further strengthen strategic steering in close collaboration with the President and CEO and management team.

Media enquiries and further information:

Sirje Ahvenlampi-Hyvönen, Vice President, Group Communications, Patria, tel. +358 50 557 3822, [email protected]

Patria is a modern and international defence and technology company with over 100 years of experience. Through our top-notch experts and Protected Mobility, Defence and Weapon Systems and Sustainment Solutions business areas, we ensure reliable operations for our customers and serve as a partner in critical functions on land, sea and air – when if is not an option. Patria’s operating countries include Finland, Sweden, Norway, Latvia, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Slovakia and Japan.

Patria is owned by the State of Finland (50.1%) and Norwegian Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS (49.9%). Patria owns 50% of Nammo, and together these three companies form a leading Nordic defence partnership. www.patriagroup.com