Sustainability Masterclass — Navigating the new carbon economy​

Meet our speakers

• 
  Leading Climate and Circularity Expert, Metsä Group

  Maija Pohjakallio

  

  Leading Climate and Circularity Expert, Metsä Group

  Maija Pohjakallio

  Maija Pohjakallio works as a Leading Climate and Circularity Expert at Metsä Group. She joined the company in August 2021. A key part of her work is bridging science, policymaking, sustainability trends, and stakeholder dialogue to generate insights that support both advocacy and business.
  
  Prior to Metsä Group Maija has worked at Sulapac Ltd., VTT, Technical Research Centre of Finland, and Chemical Industry Federation of Finland. She holds a doctoral degree in physical chemistry and electrochemistry from Helsinki University of Technology (currently Aalto University). Maija is passionate about advancing the wellbeing of people and the planet through the integration of business, science, and sustainable development.
  
  Alongside her role at Metsä Group, Maija was appointed part-time Professor of Practice at the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at the University of Turku in September 2026, a role that brings academic research and industrial practice closer together.
  
  Maija will be speaking at the webinar on the theme "Understanding carbon: Climate, policy and business".

• 
  Development Manager, Carbon Data, Metsä Group

  Emma Verkama

  

  Development Manager, Carbon Data, Metsä Group

  Emma Verkama

  Emma Verkama works at Metsä Group as a Carbon Data Development Manager. She is responsible for the development of Metsä Group's life cycle assessment (LCA) models and takes part in projects related to carbon data and carbon footprint methodologies.
  
  Emma joined Metsä Group from the Fraunhofer Research Institute in Germany, where she worked as a Research Associate. She holds a doctoral degree (D.Sc. Tech.)  in chemical engineering and has experience in process development and simulation. In her free time, she enjoys dancing ballet and staying curious about new developments in science and technology.

  Emma will be speaking at the webinar on the theme "Measuring carbon: Carbon calculations explained".

• 
  Director, Business Development​ Metsä Spring

  Minna Mentzer

  

  Director, Business Development​ Metsä Spring

  Minna Mentzer

  Minna Mentzer works at Metsä Spring as Business Development Director and leads Metsä Group's biogenic carbon capture development project, to which she has been fully dedicated since early 2025.
  
  She brings more than 20 years of experience in the energy, chemicals and forest industries. Before joining Metsä Group, she worked in business development roles at Neste, focusing on renewable feedstock and chemical recycling of plastics, and earlier in technical and commercial positions at Borealis. Minna holds an M.Sc. (Tech.) in Process Engineering from the University of Oulu. She is motivated by solving technical challenges and turning new technologies into commercially viable solutions. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors in nature with family and friends.
  
  Minna will be speaking at the webinar on the theme "Capturing carbon: The path forward".

• 
  Sustainability Manager, Metsä Fibre

  Marko Ruottinen

  

  Sustainability Manager, Metsä Fibre

  Marko Ruottinen

  Marko Ruottinen works at Metsä Fibre as a Sustainability Manager. Since the early 2000s, he has held diverse roles in R&D, customer service, and sustainability across Metsä Group, giving him a broad perspective on sustainable practices throughout the value chain. He particularly enjoys collaborating with customers to drive shared sustainability goals. Marko holds a degree in Papermaking Technology from the University of Jyväskylä, and outside work he loves spending time in nature with his family.
  
  Marko will be joining the joint Q&A session, where he will discuss what these carbon developments mean for Metsä Fibre's customers in practice.