Glaston Corporation is pleased to announce a significant development in its leadership structure. The Board of Directors has today appointed Miika Äppelqvist as the new President and CEO of Glaston Corporation, with effect from 1 June 2025.
This appointment follows a comprehensive internal and external recruitment process undertaken by the Board of Directors. Throughout this rigorous evaluation, Mr. Äppelqvist emerged as a strong internal candidate, demonstrating the depth of talent within Glaston.
Miika Äppelqvist brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of Glaston’s operations and the broader glass processing industry to his new role. Having joined Glaston in 2013, he has built a distinguished career within the company. A member of the Executive Leadership Team since 2020, Mr. Äppelqvist is currently serving as Chief Solutions & Operations Officer. His prior roles within Glaston include valuable experience as SVP Architecture and SVP Glaston Heat Treatment Technologies. Born in 1981, Mr. Äppelqvist holds an MSc in Industrial Engineering and Management.
Chair of the Board, Veli-Matti Reinikkala, commented on the appointment: “The Board of Directors did a thorough internal and external recruitment process. Throughout the process, we had a strong internal candidate and are delighted to welcome Miika Äppelqvist as the next President and CEO of Glaston. The Board is convinced that he is the right person to lead the company. In addition to ensuring continuity, his thorough understanding of the company and its business, as well as his broad network of contacts within the glass processing industry, are clear assets to us. The combination of strong business and technology know-how provides an excellent platform for leading Glaston towards its mid-term strategic targets.” 
Mr. Äppelqvist expressed his enthusiasm for the opportunity, stating: “I am honoured and excited to be appointed President and CEO of Glaston Corporation. I look forward to leading and developing Glaston’s business together with our strong and committed team. With our solid foundation in technology and processing expertise, services close to our customers and strong customer relations, we are well positioned to unlock Glaston’s full potential. Our focus will be on continuously creating more customer value and driving progress towards our strategic goals – together with the entire Glaston team, in collaboration with our industry partners.”
The process for appointing a successor to the position of Chief Solutions & Operations Officer, currently held by Mr. Äppelqvist, will commence immediately and further communication on this will follow in due course.
This appointment follows the announcement on February 17, 2025, that President & CEO Toni Laaksonen had submitted notice of resignation to pursue an opportunity at another company. Mr. Laaksonen will continue in his current role until Mr. Äppelqvist assumes the position of President and CEO.
On behalf of the entire Board, Chair Veli-Matti Reinikkala extended his gratitude to Mr. Laaksonen: “On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, I want to thank Toni Laaksonen for his dedicated work in advancing Glaston’s strategy execution. We wish him all the best for the future.”
Glaston looks forward to a smooth leadership transition and is confident that under Miika Äppelqvist’s leadership, the company will continue to drive innovation, deliver value to its customers, and achieve its strategic objectives.
Source:Glaston Corporation with additional information added by GlassBalkan
