The Confederation of European Paper Industries has named Francesca Stevens as its new director general, succeeding Jori Ringman, who had held the post since 2019. Stevens moves from Europen, the European packaging and environment organisation, where she was secretary general since 2020, and was nominated by CEPI's board in September 2026. She will lead CEPI's 24-person secretariat on decarbonisation, energy costs and EU regulatory files affecting the European pulp and paper sector.
Why this mattersEuropean pulp and paper producers get a lobby chief from the cross-material packaging side, with Europen and aluminium experience, as energy and decarbonisation files intensify.
- Francesca Stevens appointed CEPI director general, succeeding Jori Ringman, who had been in post since 2019.
- Nomination made by CEPI's board in September 2026.
- Stevens was secretary general of Europen, the European packaging and environment organisation, since 2020.
- She previously held management roles at aluminium groups Arconic and Alcoa.
- She has 25 years of experience representing industry interests to EU institutions.
- She leads a CEPI secretariat of 24 people, working with a board of national association representatives and pulp and paper company executives.
Holmen reported third-quarter operating profit of USD 55.4m (SEK 549m), down 26% from USD 74.3m (SEK 737m) a year earlier, as a major maintenance shutdown at its Iggesund mill cut earnings by USD 15.1m (SEK 150m). The group also plans to split its Forest business area into two units, placing wood supply for its industrial operations directly under the chief executive. Nine-month operating profit fell to USD 208.7m (SEK 2.07bn) from USD 255.1m (SEK 2.53bn).
Why this mattersA heavy maintenance quarter at Iggesund and still-low construction activity held back Holmen's earnings, with no recovery yet in wood-products demand or prices.
- Q3 operating profit USD 55.4m (SEK 549m), against USD 74.3m (SEK 737m) a year earlier and USD 69.5m (SEK 689m) in Q2
- The Iggesund mill maintenance shutdown reduced Board and Paper earnings by USD 15.1m (SEK 150m)
- Board and Paper operating profit was USD 12.9m (SEK 128m); deliveries fell to 1,026,000 tonnes from 1,061,000 tonnes
- Forest operating profit was USD 44.5m (SEK 441m); January-September harvest of 1,766,000 cubic metres was about 15% below the long-term plan
- Nine-month operating profit USD 208.7m (SEK 2.07bn), down from USD 255.1m (SEK 2.53bn); net financial debt USD 585.9m (SEK 5,810m), 11% of equity
- Holmen plans to split its Forest business area into two, with industrial wood supply reporting directly to CEO Henrik Sjölund
- Soren Petersson will lead the new forest-ownership unit and Fredrik Holgersson the wood-supply unit, with the split complete by Q3 2027 and no redundancies planned
- Wood Products nine-month operating loss widened to USD 17m (SEK 170m) from USD 7m (SEK 70m) a year earlier, though the Q3 loss narrowed to USD 2.3m (SEK 23m) from USD 5.5m (SEK 55m) in Q2
- Holmen operates five sawmills with combined annual capacity of 1.5 million cubic metres
