Suvi Kettunen

Counsel, Member of the Finnish Bar

I have worked on business law for essentially my entire career. At Castrén & Snellman I have worked since autumn 2013 as a specialist in employment law and transactions. Before joining Castrén & Snellman I worked for several years in another law firm focusing on transactions, which sparked my interest in M&A projects, which compliments my work in employment law. I have also been trained on the bench in the District Court of Northern Karelia.

My daily work typically includes assisting domestic and foreign clients in various employment law assignments. In addition to general employment law counselling, I focus my practice on employment and director agreements, co-operation procedures as well as situations relating to termination of employment. Due to my interest in transactions, I am frequently called upon to assist with the employment law aspects of different transaction projects. I find working with various domestic and international assignments very inspiring and my goal is to manage assignments in as practical and solution-oriented a way as possible in order to ensure added value to our clients.

Latest references

We are acting as legal adviser to Stena Line on its acquisition of NLC Ferry Ab Oy (Wasaline), strengthening Stena Line’s position in the Baltic Sea and enabling it to take over operations of the ferry route between Umeå in Sweden and Vaasa in Finland. The acquisition further strengthens Stena Line’s position as one of the leaders in sustainability within the ferry industry and enhances the company’s access to alternative fuels whilst providing a strong intermodal transport link towards Gothenburg and Trelleborg, and onwards to the European continent. NLC Ferry, operating under the auxiliary name Wasaline, were owned by Kvarken Link, a company jointly owned 50/50 by the cities of Umeå and Vaasa. Wasaline is the world’s northernmost shipping company, operating daily passenger and freight services between Vaasa, Finland and Umeå, Sweden, and is the first carbon-neutral ferry operator in the Baltic Sea with its hybrid vessel, Aurora Botnia, which runs on biogas and batteries. Stena Line is one of Europe’s leading ferry operators, with 20 routes across the continent. The company is family-owned, was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in Gothenburg, with 6,550 employees and an annual turnover of 19.6 billion SEK. The transaction is conditional to the approval of the respective municipal councils of Umeå and Vaasa as well as customary closing conditions such as authority approvals. The completion of the transaction is expected to take place in the beginning of the year 2026. Castrén & Snellman is collaborating with CMS Wistrand, Stena Line’s advisor on Swedish law matters in connection with the transaction.
Case published 4.11.2025
We advised Aker Arctic Technology Inc, a company specialised in icebreaker design, in its acquisition of Bluetech Finland Ltd. Under the signed agreement, Aker Arctic and Bluetech transferred to the ownership of Arctic Marine Technology Group Oy, an entity established for the purpose of owning the companies. Arctic Marine Technology Group is owned by Finnish Industry Investment (Tesi) and ABB, the current shareholders of Aker Arctic. The completion of the transaction required the approval of the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and the fulfilment of other customary closing conditions. Aker Arctic Technology Inc is a private company specialising in the technology development, design, engineering, special products, consulting and testing services for ice-going vessels and icebreakers. Bluetech Finland Ltd specialises in cruise, ro-pax and cargo ship design, offering engineering services for ship owners, shipyards and marine suppliers.
Case published 26.6.2025
We advised Valio Oy in its acquisition of Raisio Oyj’s plant protein business, related fixed assets and the Härkis® and Beanit® fava bean brands. The fixed assets include, among other things, the production equipment of the factory that makes plant protein products in Kauhava. The transaction supports Valio’s strategy to grow from a dairy company to a food company. This business acquisition will make us an even more significant developer and producer of plant-based protein products. The demand for these products will grow in the long term, and a great deal of growth potential still remains. In 2022, we acquired the Gold&Green® business and, since then, we have been carrying out strong product development and renewed the brand. Following successful product launches, sales in the last quarter of 2024 increased by about 50% from the previous quarter. With this acquisition, we are building our own production capacity. The production equipment of the Kauhava factory is just right for our needs and situation. says Kimmo Luoma, Valio’s Senior Vice President. Valio is a Finnish dairy and food company founded in 1905 and owned by Finnish dairy cooperatives. Valio has subsidiaries in Sweden, Estonia, the United States and China. In 2023, the Group had a turnover of EUR 2 278 million and more than 4 000 employees.
Case published 14.2.2025
We advised WithSecure Corporation in the sale of its cybersecurity consulting business to Neqst. WithSecure is a global cyber security company (listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki). Neqst is a Swedish investment firm, focusing on technology companies. The closing of the transaction remains subject to customary conditions and regulatory approvals.
Case published 24.1.2025
We advised Danske Bank A/S and its subsidiary Danske Finance Oy in a cross-border absorption merger, which was carried out in accordance with the Finnish and Danish Companies Acts. After the merger, Danske Bank A/S will continue the business of the merged Danske Finance Oy as a branch in Finland. As part of the arrangement, we advised Danske Finance Oy in particular on the merger process and the related registrations and approvals required to the complete the arrangement. Our team in this arrangement included experts in corporate governance, capital markets and financial regulation and employment law.
Case published 15.1.2024
We advised Uponor Infra Oy in the sale of its district energy business to ISOPLUS Suomi Oy, part of ISOPLUS Group, a leading manufacturer of district heating pipes in Europe. Uponor’s district energy business had a net sales level of approximately EUR 40 million in 2022, and it included operations in Finland, Sweden, Estonia and Norway. The divestment is in line with Uponor Infra’s strategy that focuses on growing its core business. Uponor is a leading global provider of solutions that efficiently and effectively move water through cities, buildings, and homes. Uponor helps customers in residential and commercial construction, municipalities, and utilities to be more productive. Uponor’s solutions are sold in more than 80 countries, and the company employs about 4,000 professionals in 26 countries in Europe and North America. In 2022, the company’s net sales totalled approximately EUR 1.4 billion. Uponor Corporation is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
Case published 17.4.2023
We advised Applus+ in the divestment of K1 Katsastajat Oy and its vehicle inspection operations in Finland to A-Katsastus Group. The main service of K1 Katsastajat Oy is light and heavy vehicle inspections through its network of 84 stations and 137 employees. K1 Katsastajat Oy also provides technical vehicle inspections, vehicle certificates and registration services and condition checks for commercial customers. Its revenue in 2021 was 14 million euros. This divestment is in line with the active portfolio management announced in the Applus+ Strategic Plan to focus on portfolio mix quality-improvement. Applus+ Group is a worldwide leader in the testing, inspection and certification sector for its technical capabilities, innovative approach, and its workforce of over 25,000 employees in more than 70 countries. It is a trusted partner, enhancing the quality and safety of its clients’ assets and infrastructures while safeguarding their operations.
Case published 5.1.2023
We advised Evli in a transaction in which EAB is going to merge into Evli through a statutory absorption merger in accordance with the Finnish Companies Act. The combination agreement and the merger plans relating to the transaction were signed and announced on 31 May 2022, and the transaction is expected to be completed during the second half of 2022. For this transaction, we drafted the first exemption document in the history of Finland in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/528 and regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Both Evli and the EAB Group offer wide ranging investment services as well as asset and fund management including alternative investment funds (AIFs). The combination of Evli and the EAB Group is the next step for Evli in its strategic path to become a leader in Nordic wealth management services. The Combined Company resulting from the merger will have an especially strong position among others in wealth management for institutions and in the design and management of incentive and rewards systems. 
Case published 7.6.2022