July 9th, 2009 by sakari
Dear All. I am leaving Metro after 15 years.
Thank you all for having me.
I have enjoyed every single day of it.
I could bore you with fireplace stories from the old days, but I wont.
I’ll look forward.
We – I am afraid Metro will always be “we” in my mind – have fantastic people everywhere.
We have strong owners and a management shaped in good times as well as bad times and we are debt free.
Some of you might remember a dinner in Prague.
I gave a speech and said something like: We are not making papers. We are making history. Nice catchphrase which I meant literally.
Metro reinvented the business of daily newspapers.
You should all be very proud of being part of that.
I am.
Show me someone, somewhere that contributed more to enlighten and inform people all over the world!
Some examples: Just the other week surveys in Denmark showed that MetroXpress contributed as much to democracy as any of the paid for. The same month the Chilean and Hungarian Metro got awards for their contribution for information on green issues.
We are now in the middle of the Mother of all Recessions and future might not look that bright.
But crisis feeds innovation (Sliced bread, Mickey Mouse and Business Week was all founded in the early thirties).
I am sure that the combined talent of you all will make Metro a brand which will be mentioned as one of the stars that rose from the current crises.
I’ll be watching that happen from outside.
Some final words.
I am not a massively talented person. I learnt from my first job (at Wickstrom Fruit and Potatoes) what works.
Work hard.
Be loyal.
Be happy.
I mean, how hard could it be?
Sakari
Dear All.
Thank you for all the kind words here and elsewhere. Bookmark this blog and you will know my whereabouts in the future.
Sakari
Simon Says: July 9th, 2009 at 4:55 pm e Sad to see you leave. Interesting to see you move on!
Ian Says: July 10th, 2009 at 10:38 am e Good luck Sakari!
Wilf Says: July 10th, 2009 at 11:07 am e are you going to blog in English? and what are you going to blog about?
alberto Says: July 10th, 2009 at 11:29 am e thanks for your friendship and for many many good examples saka. we are a kind of leaving metro too, but i hope the ones who will remain will conquer the fucking moon!
sakari Says: July 10th, 2009 at 11:32 am e hi Wilf. I will write in Swedish but try to translate what ever might be relevant. It will not be a general media comment site. I guess the world has nuff of those already.
Metro Sweden Says: July 10th, 2009 at 11:46 am e The King has left the building.
Anna Says: July 10th, 2009 at 11:57 am e Dear Sakari! So sorry you are leaving! Thank you for the great and warm support you always gave to me! Hope we will be in contact:)) Good Luck!
Péter Fazekas Says: July 10th, 2009 at 12:28 pm e Sad news, but you always welcome in hungary… GL to you.
jay Says: July 10th, 2009 at 2:26 pm e thanks for learning me some good lessons (although bad grammar remains my own personal struggle very best of luck for the future.
Marek Krzesniak ex Metropol Poland Says: July 10th, 2009 at 3:23 pm e Dear Sakari It was great honor and privilage to have such a boss. The phrase “Sakari Pitkänen” in Swedish should mean PROFESSIONAL, and I think it already does!
kapten e Says: July 10th, 2009 at 5:14 pm e dear sakari, It has been a long and very fun journey, metros all over the place, “Everyday” and alot of other stuff, have fun, all the best from a windy archiepelago /t
Paola Says: July 12th, 2009 at 4:37 pm e Dear Sakari, Good Luck!
Gabriela – Metro Mexico Says: July 12th, 2009 at 6:04 pm e Sakari, you are very welcome in Mexico too… Tequila is always a great inspirer as well as adviser.
fabrizio Says: July 13th, 2009 at 10:58 pm e Hi Sak, look forward and remember back. It was a nice time to build something with your guide.All the best
Mikko Says: July 14th, 2009 at 7:30 am e The man who removed the word “impossible” from my vocabulary. Vaya con dios.