Hannu Anttila appointed CFO of Metsäliitto Group

HANNU ANTTILA APPOINTED CFO OF METSÄLIITTO GROUP Metsä Tissue Corporation's President and CEO Hannu Anttila (47) is to take over as Senior Vice President, CFO of the Metsäliitto Group during spring 2003, when Kari Haavisto, who currently holds the post, retires. The process of choosing a new President and CEO for Metsä Tissue has already started and the appointment will be announced at a later date. According to Antti Oksanen, Chairman of Metsä Tissue Corporation's Board of Directors and President and CEO of the Metsäliitto Group, Hannu Anttila's appointment is part of the Metsäliitto Group's drive to further develop its management resources. Metsä Tissue has made good progress in recent years and its operations are on a solid foundation. It will be the job of the new President and CEO to continue the dynamic development of Metsä Tissue into a strong European supplier of consumer products in line with the policy implemented by the company's present management. For more information: Hannu Anttila, President and CEO of Metsä Tissue Corp., tel. +358 10 469 4959, GSM +358 50 2398. Pekka Kivelä, Senior Vice President of the Metsäliitto Group, tel. +358 10 469 4545, GSM +358 500 500 928. Distribution: HEX/Helsinki Exchanges Key media BACKGROUND RELEASE METSÄ TISSUE IS A DYNAMICALLY GROWING CONSUMER GOODS COMPANY Metsä Tissue is a European consumer goods company engaged in the development, manufacture and marketing of tissue products and of baking and cooking papers for both households and large-scale consumers. The company's four business areas are Consumer, Away-from-Home, Table Top and Baking & Cooking. Metsä Tissue's main market is Europe north of the Alps. The company is the Nordic market leader in tissue paper products and the fourth biggest supplier of tissue paper in Europe. Metsä Tissue is also the European market leader in baking and cooking papers. Metsä Tissue's goal is to become the leading European tissue paper company in selected markets in Europe north of the Alps. These markets have over 200 million consumers. Metsä Tissue's mission is to provide consumers and other customers with comfort for everyday living, both at home and away from home. In 2001, the Group had a turnover of EUR 650 million and an operating profit of EUR 37 million. Metsä Tissue is seeking to achieve dynamic growth in selected markets. The company's target for profitability is to achieve an operating margin of over 10 per cent and to operate with a balance sheet structure such that the turnover of capital is at least two. Metsä Tissue's approach to business Business is based on the needs of the customer. Metsä Tissue wants to produce the best possible solutions for its customers and to establish with them confidential relations to the benefit of all concerned. Metsä Tissue seeks to achieve preferred partner status among its customers. The company takes a market-oriented approach to business and operates innovatively and efficiently. Metsä Tissue has launched several important market-oriented investment and development programmes designed to raise product quality and degree of processing, particularly of consumer products, and at the same time to substantially improve production efficiency. These investment and development programmes are being carried out largely during 2002-2004 and will cost around EUR 90 million. Products, brands and product development Metsä Tissue's products are bathroom tissue, household towels, paper towels and industrial wipes, table napkins, tissue handkerchiefs and baking and cooking papers. Metsä Tissue invests primarily in its own brand names, which are Lambi, Serla, Leni, Mola, Katrin, Saga and Fasana. The company also works with customers to develop business based on customers' own brands. Metsä Tissue's centralized product development unit Competence Center Tissue is located at the Raubach mill in Germany. The company encourages the lean use of natural resources at all stages of its products' life cycles. Product safety and occupational safety are key aspects of Metsä Tissue's activities. Values and employees Within Metsä Tissue there is a strong focus on establishing a common set of working practices. Bets practices are born out of a common set of values and the commitment of the entire workforce to the company's strategy. The company's values are Creating added value, Trust, Continuous improvement and "We do it". Metsä Tissue's mills are located in Finland, Sweden, Germany and Poland. The company has sales offices in Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, France and Great Britain. The number of employees at the end of 2001 was 2,900. Metsä Tissue's shares have been quoted on the Helsinki Stock Exchange since 1997. Metsä Tissue is part of the M-real Group and the Metsäliitto Group. ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2002/12/04/20021204BIT00120/wkr0001.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2002/12/04/20021204BIT00120/wkr0002.pdf