Niina Äikäs, currently Head of SEB's Baltic division, has been appointed Country Manager of SEB in Finland. Sonata Gutauskaitė-Bubnelienė, currently Country Manager and CEO of SEB Lithuania, has been appointed Head of Baltic division and member of the Group Executive Committee. The changes are effective as of 1 September 2026, subject to relevant regulatory approvals.
"Niina has successfully led the development of our Baltic business during the past years, including the ongoing important merger of our three Baltic banks into one legal entity. With her extensive experience and strong understanding of both the Nordic and Baltic markets, she is exceptionally well suited to lead our continued development in Finland," says Johan Torgeby, President and CEO of SEB.
Niina Äikäs has headed SEB's Baltic division since 2021 and has been a member of the Group Executive Committee since the same year. She joined SEB in 2008 and has held several senior leadership positions within the bank, including Head of Large Corporates Coverage in Finland and Head of SEB in Shanghai. As Country Manager of SEB in Finland, she will become a member of SEB's Senior Leadership Committee, transitioning from her current role on the Group Executive Committee.
Sonata Gutauskaitė-Bubnelienė succeeds Niina Äikäs as Head of Baltic division.
"With more than 25 years at SEB and proven leadership skills across the Baltic organisation, Sonata has successfully led our business in Lithuania, delivered strong results and driven important transformation initiatives. I look forward to working closely with her in this new role as we continue to develop our business across the Baltics," says Johan Torgeby.
Sonata Gutauskaitė-Bubnelienė joined SEB in 1999 and has held several senior leadership positions across the organisation, including Head of Baltic Retail Banking. Since 2021, she has served as Country Manager and CEO of SEB Lithuania and will continue in that role during the Baltic merger process.
The appointments are subject to relevant regulatory approvals and are expected to take effect on 1 September 2026.