Earlier this year, Merja Ylä-Anttila said she would retire in the fall.
Merja Ylä-Anttila at Finlandia House 3.6.2025 Karoliina Simoinen
Merja Ylä-Anttila, 65, CEO of YLE, said earlier this year that she would retire this year.
Ylä-Anttila opened its mood for Iltalehti to retire at the opening ceremony of the Finlandia exhibition on Tuesday, June 3. According to Ylä-Anttila, he seems to be depressing and worse.
Anyway, the time now feels right.
-I thought there was a right window when there was a new YLE law in Parliament and change negotiations had been taken.
– And then when that 65 years came to the meter, it will start to think a little bit about it. At the same time, I calculated that I had been working regularly in the media for 41 years next October, Ylä-Anttila continues.
Ylä-Anttila notes that in 41 years, almost everything in the media has changed-since the tools and distribution platforms.
-The internet was not invented at that time, Ylä-Anttila laughs and adds that the journey has been stunning.
High Change Negotiations on the Better Side
Ylä-Anttila has been CEO of YLE since 2018. Previously, he has been responsible for MTV, among others.
For the past year, the winds of change have been made due to change negotiations. The change negotiations of the second phase of the Savings Program in YLE ended on June 2.
– It’s good that we are on the better side and the last ones have ended. Of course, all these things are difficult. We live a little in the atmosphere of the bottom contact, Ylä-Anttila says of his top moods.
Ylä-Anttila notes that summer vacations will bring the respiratory break to the staff and the company will be able to look at the future positive.
Ylä-Anttila himself looks confident in the horizon. As the moment of departure comes in the fall, he believes he will leave a strong foundation for his successor.
– Yle will be stronger. Our tasks have been thought and weighed with parliamentary golden scales. He has a very good situation about it. Next year, the company will celebrate the centenary of the company. It’s a great start and the beginning of a new one, Ylä-Anttila smiles.
The future of Upper Anttila
So how does the CEO believe in his or her life after a continuing career? Can an iron career really slow down at all?
-If we were to answer that question at home, I probably wouldn’t, Ylä-Anttila laughs.
– Yes, there are probably many things that have not been done. I would like to travel more during the summer, especially Ylä-Anttila ponders.
Retirement days bring time, so maybe herbs will also get into the soil in the future.
– Even now, when I was putting our land in summer, I thought I couldn’t even put any herbs, salads or anything like that. I can’t be there more continuously.
Merja Ylä-Anttila needs time for her own interests. Karoliina Simoinen