The Supervisory Board of Eesti Energia has confirmed Andrus Durejko, the current CEO of Ericsson Estonia, as the new Chairman of the Management Board to take office on 1 April. The mandate of Hando Sutter, the current CEO of Eesti Energia, will expire on 31 March.

Anne Mere, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Eesti Energia, said that Andrus Durejko stood out from the competition due to his very good leadership qualities and his management experience in a major company, additional strength was his education in the energy field.

“I am very pleased that Andrus Durejko will join the team of Eesti Energia from April. Andrus has an exceptionally high analytical skills, ability to anticipate and assess possible risks and notice potential. At the same time, Andrus is a team player who appreciates cooperation, shared values and helps others realize their potential,” Mere said.

Andrus Durejko is grateful for the trust and the opportunity to join the team of Eesti Energia in a time of crisis that has never been seen before in Estonia or in Europe.

“My goal as the Chairman of the Management board of Eesti Energia will be to continue implementing the ambitious strategy and to successfully lead the company through the energy crisis and the upcoming changes. It is clear that the energy sector is facing major changes. To cope with them, it is important to introduce new technologies, accelerate digitalisation, build new production units and reduce the carbon footprint. This is a tremendous challenge,” Durejko described.

He believes that his previous experience of managing the rapid changes in the mobile communications sector will help to make the implementation of future solutions in the energy sector as smooth as possible for both Eesti Energia's customers and employees.

“I am convinced that my knowledge and experience in change management from Ericsson will also help to cope with the challenges at Eesti Energia,” Durejko said.

Minister of Finance Annely Akkermann praised the supervisory board for a good choice and noted that as the representative of Eesti Energia's general meeting, she expected the new CEO to continue to invest in the growth of renewable energy productio and increasingly transform the company from an oil shale electricity producer to a carbon-neutral energy and chemical industry. “One of the main challenges will definitely be the question of how to reduce Eesti Energia's CO2 footprint and find a balance between different types of energy,” the minister said.

Andrus Durejko has been working as the Chairman of the Management Board of Ericsson Eesti AS since 2018. Before that he worked in various positions at Ericsson, the provider of mobile communication solutions and equipment, including as a member of the board of Ericsson Eesti AS in the field of technology and as the regional director of Ericsson Ukraine Mobile Core Networks. He has been a member of the management board of Ericsson Eesti AS since 1999.

Andrus Durejko has a master's degree in electrical engineering from the Estonian University of Life Sciences. In addition to Ericsson, Durejko is a member of the supervisory board of the Estonian Broadband Development Foundation (ELASA) and a member of the advisory board of AI & Robotics Estonia (AIRE).

Andrus Durejko's term of office will be three years.

Hando Sutter's mandate as Chairman of the Management Board of Eesti Energia will end on 31 March according to his current contract. Andri Avila, Raine Pajo, Margus Vals and Agnes Roos also have their contracts as members of the management board ending on 31 March.

KeyFacts Energy: Eesti Energia Estonia country profile