Mikko Kuosa, CEO, NAPA Group
Mikko Kuosa appointed CEO of NAPA
NAPA – intelligent, digital solutions for safer, greener and more efficient maritime industry
Helsinki, Finland – 24 March 2020 – NAPA, the leading maritime software, services, and data analysis provider, has today announced the appointment of Mikko Kuosa as Chief Executive Officer of NAPA. Kuosa assumes the position from Ilmo Kuutti, who successfully served as CEO of NAPA Group for three years. Kuutti continues as an Advisor and a member of the NAPA Board of Directors.
Mikko Kuosa (43), who joined NAPA in 1999, holds a master’s degree in Naval Architecture from Helsinki University of Technology, Finland. Since joining, Mikko has taken on various leadership positions at NAPA. In his most recent role, Kuosa held a position of an Executive Vice President for NAPA Design Solutions, and before that, he was heading NAPA Technology as a Vice President, Technology.
Mitsuhiko Kidogawa, Chairman of NAPA’s Board of Directors and ClassNK’s Regional Manager of Europe and Africa, commented, “We have been extremely satisfied with NAPA’s recent development and performance. Ilmo Kuutti has led NAPA through a very successful transformation in the past three years. NAPA’s growth has been a testament to focus, quality, and expertise. After conducting a systematic search for NAPA’s new CEO, we have great faith in Mikko’s ability to lead NAPA to new heights of success.”
Mikko Kuosa, CEO, NAPA, commented, “Three years ago, we re-structured NAPA and became a self-managed organization. Removal of hierarchical organization meant that the teams and individuals became more autonomous in their working practices, free to utilize their capability in full, and make decisions. It wasn’t always a simple or straightforward process – but the results speak for themselves. The year 2019 resulted in record-high revenue and customer satisfaction. Also, employee satisfaction and engagement improved significantly. The results highlight the talent and professionalism of our staff. By creating three business units that better reflected our specific domain expertise and increased customer focus, we are now making the marine industry’s technology-enabled future a reality. NAPA is in a prime position to enable the digitalization of the maritime industry, ensuring its efficiency, safety, and sustainability for years to come. We have a strong foundation, and I am enthusiastic about continuing my NAPA journey in a new role with our excellent, committed people.”
Ilmo Kuutti, Member of NAPA Board of Directors, commented, “When NAPA was established over 30 years ago, the world was a very different place. However, one thing that hasn’t changed is our values; professionalism, reliability, and commitment remain NAPA’s watchwords, and our success is directly attributable to those strengths. The world needs safer, greener, and more intelligent solutions if the maritime industry is to thrive in the coming decades, and I know that NAPA will be a critical part of that process with Mikko Kuosa at the helm.”
