Johtoryhmä

johtoryhmä is the Finnish term for the executive management group of a company. It comprises senior managers who lead day-to-day operations and implement the strategic direction, operating under the oversight of the board (hallitus).

Typically chaired by the CEO (toimitusjohtaja), the group includes heads of key functions such as finance (talousjohtaja), operations, human resources, IT, and roles in sales, marketing, and product development. The exact composition varies with company size, sector, and governance rules, and is described in the company's governance documents.

Core responsibilities include developing and implementing strategy, preparing annual business plans and budgets, allocating resources, monitoring performance and risk, ensuring legal compliance and internal controls, coordinating cross-functional initiatives, and presenting material matters to the board for decision. The johtoryhmä also ensures communication and alignment across the organization.

Meetings are typically held weekly or biweekly in larger firms and monthly in smaller ones. Decisions made within its delegated authority are binding within that scope; strategic or high-impact decisions generally require board approval.

Relationship to governance: while the board provides oversight, the johtoryhmä is responsible for execution and day-to-day management. The two bodies interact through regular reporting, reviews of performance and risk, and joint planning to align operations with strategic objectives. In some contexts the term is equivalent to executive committee or management team.

Variations exist across sectors and ownership structures. In public or multinational companies the framework is often formalized by policy, while in family-owned or startup companies the group may be smaller or more informal, yet still serves as the central leadership forum.