Finnair has appointed Topi Manner as the airline’s new chief executive.

Manner, aged 44, will take up the role next year and has a long career in management positions at Nordea, the largest financial group in the Nordic countries.

Since 2016 he has worked as a member of Nordea’s group executive management and as head of personal banking.

Jouko Karvinen, Finnair chairman, said: “Topi Manner has extensive experience in both private and corporate customer business, and he has played a strong role in the digital transformation and customer service development of his bank.

“We believe Topi’s people-centric leadership is an excellent fit for a service company like Finnair, which is all about people, both customers and personnel.

“Finnair has been transforming fast in recent years, and we continue to advance both our customer experience and our transformation.”

Finnair’s current chief executive, Pekka Vauramo, will take on the role of chief executive of Metso Group and leaves the airline with immediate effect.

Meanwhile, Pekka Vähähyyppä, Finnair chief financial officer, will act as an interim chief executive from now until the end of December 2018.

Manner said: “Finnair is an iconic, innovative Finnish company with a significant national role.

“The Finnair team has done excellent work over the past few years.

“I am proud to have been selected to be part of Finnair’s competent team to build the company’s future, and to develop the experiences related to flying and travel together with other Finnair employees.

“I know Finnair’s people are strongly committed to the company which gives us a good ground to continue Finnair’s strategy implementation.”