Panu Pokkinen, editor-in-chief of Yle News and head of the Finnish public broadcaster’s News and Sports division, has died at the age of 49.
Yle announced that Pokkinen died in hospital in Helsinki on Wednesday after suffering a second cardiac arrest.
His first cardiac arrest occurred in early June while he was on a running holiday in Lisbon, Portugal.
He spent three weeks receiving treatment in the Portuguese capital before being transferred to Finland for further care.
According to Yle, Pokkinen had been recovering from the initial medical emergency before suffering another sudden cardiac arrest in a Helsinki hospital last week.
Yle chief executive Marit af Björkesten said the broadcaster had lost a respected leader and colleague.
“We are deeply shocked and saddened by what has happened. Our thoughts are first and foremost with Panu’s family and loved ones,” she said in a statement.
“We lost a wonderful person and a dear colleague.”
Pokkinen became editor-in-chief of Yle News in June 2024 and formally took up the role later that year at a time when Finland’s public broadcaster was implementing major organisational changes and cost-saving measures.
Before becoming editor-in-chief, Pokkinen headed Yle’s Sports and Events division and had previously served as head of Yle Sport.
Following his illness in June, Krista Taubert was appointed acting editor-in-chief of Yle News and Sports. Yle said she will continue in the role until further notice.
HT