The Board of Directors at Södra has decided to start searching for a new CEO and Group President.

As the Board of Directors and CEO have differing views regarding the ongoing development of the company and what is required in the form of leadership and clarity, the Board has decided to terminate the employment of CEO Leif Brodén with immediate effect. At the same time, a decision has been made to extend temporarily the responsibilities of the President of Södra Cell Gunilla Saltin to also include the role of CEO for the entire Södra group. Recruitment of a new CEO will begin immediately. Until a new CEO is appointed, Board Chairman Christer Segerstéen will extend his involvement in the company and take over as Acting Chairman. In this role, he will mainly assist the Acting CEO with ownership and industry issues.

Leif Brodén has been employed by Södra since 1999, initially to head Södra Cell, Södra's biggest subsidiary, and then as CEO and Group President. Södra has developed very strongly during this time, to the benefit of its 51,000 members. Under sometimes very stressful conditions, such as when dealing with the consequences of the Gudrun storm, Leif Brodén has very professionally and successfully led and expanded Södra's industrial operations, forming a group which is financially very stable. Södra has a very strong foundation on which to stand, both financially and in terms of expertise, which will permit ongoing successful development and active participation in future structural changes. However, the Board has arrived at the conclusion that it is time for a new type of leadership, and for a new CEO to work together with the Board to produce and then implement the strategy to follow Södra's current long-term plan, which will remain in force until 2014.

Gunilla Saltin has been the President of Södra Cell, Södra's biggest business area, since 2008. She joined Södra in 2000, and she has previously held the position of Plant Manager at Södra Cell Värö.

"Business at Södra subsidiaries Södra Cell, Södra Timber, Södra Interiör and Södra Skog is successful in their respective areas. This guarantees that Södra will not suffer any adverse effects in the limited time it is estimated to take to find a new CEO," commented Christer Segerstéen, Chairman of Södra.