# Maarit Toivanen > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Maarit_Toivanen > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Maarit_Toivanen.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maarit_Toivanen > Source revision: 1279182389 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|Finnish business executive (born 1954)}} {{Use British English|date=December 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}} {{Infobox person | honorific_prefix = {{Lang|fi|[Vuorineuvos](/source/Vuorineuvos)}} | name = Maarit Toivanen | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1954|12|27|df=yes}} | birth_place = [Helsinki](/source/Helsinki), [Finland](/source/Finland) | death_date = | death_place = | nationality = | parents = Erkki J. Toivanen (father), Anja {{nee}} Auriala (mother) | spouse = | other_names = | occupation = Business executive | years_active = | known_for = | notable_works = }} '''Maarit Toivanen''' (previously '''Toivanen-Koivisto'''; born 27 December 1954) is a [Finnish](/source/Finnish_people) business executive and investor, notable for being only the second woman to receive Finland's highest civilian honorary title of {{Lang|fi|[vuorineuvos](/source/vuorineuvos)}}.{{cite news |title=Presidentti myönsi 116 arvonimeä |url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-5839235 |access-date=9 January 2021 |publisher=Yle |date=12 June 2008 |language=fi}} ==Early life and education== Maarit Toivanen was born in [Helsinki](/source/Helsinki) as the youngest daughter of the family owning the Finnish building materials wholesaler {{ill|Onninen|fi}}, which had been set up in 1913 by her great-grandfather, Alfred Onninen.{{cite web |title=Vuorineuvos Maarit Toivanen-Koivisto (1954–) |url=https://kansallisbiografia.fi/talousvaikuttajat/henkilo/3691 |website=Kansallisbiografia.fi |publisher=National Biography of Finland |access-date=9 January 2021 |language=fi}} She was raised in the upmarket [Ullanlinna](/source/Ullanlinna) district of Helsinki, and was privately educated, graduating from the {{Lang|fi|Mannerheimintien Yhteiskoulu}} secondary school in 1973. Following some post-secondary business studies in Finland, Toivanen went on to study economics and finance at [Uppsala University](/source/Uppsala_University) in Sweden, graduating in 1978. ==Business career== After her studies, Toivanen joined the family business, and over the years worked in various functions including sales, purchasing, product management, quality and finance. Following the death in 2000 of her father, Erkki J. Toivanen, who had run the business for 35 years, Maarit Toivanen took on the role of [Chairperson](/source/Chairperson) of Onninen, as well as [CEO](/source/CEO) of its parent group {{ill|Onvest|fi}}.{{cite news |title=Perinnöksi vastuullinen omistajuus |url=https://www.ts.fi/viihde/1074015494 |access-date=9 January 2021 |publisher=Turun Sanomat |date=27 December 2004 |language=fi}} She represented the fourth generation of her family to run the business, and continued to do so until the sale of most of the group operations to [Kesko](/source/Kesko) in 2016 for a reported EUR 369 million.{{cite news |title=Perheyritys Onninen menee Keskolle |url=https://www.hameensanomat.fi/kanta-hame/perheyritys-onninen-menee-keskolle-165032/ |access-date=9 January 2021 |publisher=Hämeen Sanomat |date=12 January 2016 |language=fi}} In addition to the family business, Toivanen has served in Board roles at several notable Finnish listed companies, including [Neste](/source/Neste), [Itella](/source/Itella) and [Rautaruukki](/source/Rautaruukki), as well as in a number of cultural and civic organisations such as [Sibelius Academy](/source/Sibelius_Academy) and [Alvar Aalto Museum](/source/Alvar_Aalto_Museum). ==Honours== In 2008, Toivanen was granted the honorary title of {{Lang|fi|vuorineuvos}} by President [Tarja Halonen](/source/Tarja_Halonen). She was only the second woman in Finnish history to receive the honour. In 2011, she was conferred an [honorary doctorate](/source/honorary_doctorate) in economic sciences by [Aalto University](/source/Aalto_University).{{cite web |title=Honorary doctors 1934-2019 |url=https://www.aalto.fi/en/ceremony-week/honorary-doctors-1934-2019 |website=Aalto.fi |publisher=Aalto University |access-date=9 January 2021}} ==Controversies== Toivanen caused controversy in 2014, when she announced that she would be moving her and her family's [tax domicile](/source/Domicile_(law)) to Portugal the following year, in preparation for the impending company sale, in order to avoid Finland's 20% [inheritance tax](/source/inheritance_tax) which she considered too high.{{cite news |title=Former CEOs retire to Portugal |url=https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/domestic/13473-former-ceos-retire-in-portugal.html?ref=nl-hs-aamu |access-date=9 January 2021 |publisher=Helsinki Times |date=31 July 2015}} She returned to Finland in 2018.{{cite news |title=Verottaja ei mahda mitään Portugalin veropakolaisille 0 6 |url=https://www.apu.fi/artikkelit/verottaja-ei-mahda-mitaan-portugalin-veropakolaisille |access-date=9 January 2021 |publisher=Apu |date=25 September 2015 |language=fi}}{{cite news |title=Onvestin Toivanen-Koivisto pakenee perintöveroa Portugaliin |url=https://www.is.fi/taloussanomat/oma-raha/art-2000001860647.html |access-date=9 January 2021 |publisher=Taloussanomat |date=23 December 2014 |language=fi}} In May 2019, Toivanen was issued with a EUR 74,000 [speeding ticket](/source/speeding_ticket), for driving at {{convert|112|kph}} in an {{convert|80|kph}} speed limit area.{{cite news |title=Portugaliin veroja paennut vuorineuvos Maarit Toivanen kaahasi 74 000 euron sakot: "Ylinopeus tietysti harmittaa" |url=https://www.iltalehti.fi/kotimaa/a/1b50cc79-62f6-4857-8bd7-6d923af83f66 |access-date=9 January 2021 |publisher=Iltalehti |date=30 July 2019 |language=fi}} The large amount is due to the [Finnish 'day-fine' system](/source/Day-fine) whereby speeding tickets are not fixed, but depend instead on the offender's income.{{cite news |title=Speeding in Finland Can Cost a Fortune, if You Already Have One |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/26/world/europe/speeding-in-finland-can-cost-a-fortune-if-you-already-have-one.html |access-date=9 January 2021 |work=New York Times |date=25 April 2015}} ==Personal life== Maarit Toivanen has been married twice. She has two children from her first marriage. From her second marriage, to Ilkka Koivisto (m. 1994 — div. 2017), she also has two children, as well as two step-children from Koivisto's earlier marriage.{{cite news |title=Maarit Toivanen-Koivisto: "Yritysjohtajien palkat ovat nousseet liian nopeasti" |url=https://suomenkuvalehti.fi/jutut/kotimaa/maarit-toivanen-koivisto-yritysjohtajien-palkat-ovat-nousseet-liian-nopeasti/ |access-date=9 January 2021 |publisher=Suomen Kuvalehti |date=4 September 2013 |language=fi}} ==References== {{reflist}} {{Portal bar|Biography|Business|Finland}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Toivanen, Maarit}} Category:1954 births Category:Living people Category:Finnish business executives Category:Finnish chief executives Category:Women business executives Category:Businesspeople from Helsinki Category:Uppsala University alumni Category:Finnish investors Category:Women investors Category:Finnish expatriates in Portugal --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Maarit Toivanen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maarit_Toivanen) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maarit_Toivanen?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.