Early Life
Mika Anttonen was born in Helsinki, Finland, in 1966. He grew up playing hockey and studied energy technology at Helsinki University of Technology, graduating with a Master of Science in Technology in 1992. During his studies, Anttonen began his career as a crude oil distributor for Neste Corporation.
Rise to Success
Anttonen made a rapid progress in his career at Neste. In 1996, he became an entrepreneur and partner at the Greenergy Baltic corporation. In 2005, he renamed the company St1 after acquiring the St1 chain of service stations. Through St1, Anttonen has built a significant presence in the Nordic energy market. He is the majority owner and chairman of the board of directors of St1 Nordic Oy and St1 Group Oy.
Key Business Strategies
Anttonen's strategy involved expanding St1 into one of the largest fuel distributors and refiners in the Nordic countries. St1 has over 1,150 retail stations across Finland, Sweden, and Norway. The company focuses on fuel marketing, oil refining, and renewable energy solutions such as biogas and renewable diesel. Anttonen has also invested in geothermal energy and bioethanol production.
Philanthropy
Mika Anttonen is known for his work in renewable energy and climate change mitigation, and he invests in projects that aim to replace oil. He has established the Keele Foundation to support sports and other initiatives. In 2021, Anttonen sold a portion of shares in Vierumäki Sports Oy to support Finnish sports organizations.