< Blood Service News - 18.03.2011

Martti Syrjälä appointed Chief Executive of the FRCBS

The Board of the Finnish Red Cross has chosen CEO Martti Syrjälä (50), MD, as the new Chief Executive of the Finnish Red Cross Blood Service.

Martti Syrjälä is currently Chief Executive Officer of HUSLAB, a business enterprise of the HUS Group operating in the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa. With an annual volume of over 18 million laboratory tests, HUSLAB is Finland’s leading supplier of clinical laboratory services.

Martti Syrjälä has a special tie to the Blood Service – his very first post in the field of medicine was with the Blood Service three decades ago. Hence, it is no surprise that he finds blood service operations, facilitated by voluntary blood donors and skilled professionals, extremely close to his personal values and beliefs.

“The Blood Service plays an extensive and significant role in Finnish health care. In the course of over 60 years of operation, the organisation has evolved into a leading blood service on a global scale. On a daily basis, highly motivated in-house professionals, working in collaboration with voluntary blood donors, secure the availability of blood products for Finnish patients and hospitals. It is a privilege to join a community of this kind,” Syrjälä says.

Martti Syrjälä received his doctorate by submitting a thesis to the University of Helsinki in 1987. He also holds specialist degrees in clinical chemistry and laboratory haematology. In 1994, Syrjälä was appointed Docent of Clinical Chemistry at the University of Helsinki.

Martti Syrjälä has held various executive positions in hospitals and laboratories of both the Helsinki University Central Hospital (HUCH) and the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS).

In 2004, he was appointed Physician-in-Chief of Clinical Chemistry and Haematology and, in 2008, Director of the HUCH Hospital District. Martti Syrjälä has been CEO of HUSLAB since 2009.

Martti Syrjälä will start as Chief Executive of the FRCBS on 1 February 2011. Kari Aranko continues as acting Chief Executive for the time being.

The former Chief Executive Jukka Rautonen left his post in November 2010 after a special audit, which found irregularities in consulting contracts. (See previous information)