Väänänen has been managing director since the fall of 2022.
Football club AC Oulu has been appointed as CEO Hanna Väänänen.
He has been handling the task since the fall of last year. The appointment is historic, as the 35-year-old Väänänen is the first woman as CEO of Veikkausliiga.
– I am really satisfied that the choice was right for me. Football is close to my heart, as my own 12- and 10-year-old sons also play football. We are fully involved in football, says Väänänen.
Väänänen started at the Oulu club just over a year ago as a sales manager. Last fall, the long-term CEO Juho Meriläinen leaving his laundry, Väänänen took over the vacated position.
– Fortunately, I have had time to prepare for the role of CEO, says Väänänen.
AC Oulu never launched a public search for CEO. A worker was found for the task from his own club.
– Hanna is a very well-liked person in the Navy Blue community and has shown through her own work that she is capable of handling the duties of the CEO, says the chairman of the board of AC Oulu Tomi Kaismo.
Veikkausliiga has previously had women as executive directors of teams, but not with the title of CEO. Last year, he served as executive director of VPS Fairy tale Nieminen. Before that he worked at FC Inter Johanna Leppänen and in Jaro Sonja Westerlund.