Kati Levoranta has been named the new CEO of Rovio, as part of a company-wide restructure that sees the firm returning to its "entrepreneurial roots" with a "leaner, more agile organization."

Former CEO Pekka Rantala, who had been in the role since January, commented that "the time is right for me to step aside and move on to new challenges."

A longterm Nokia legal eagle, Levoranta joined Rovio in 2012, most recently taking the roles of chief legal officer and head of sales, EMEA

Looking ahead

In other changes, Wilhelm Taht -  formerly head of the Rovio Stars publishing initiative - has been named head of Rovio's games division.

Mikael Hed, a Rovio co-founder and previous CEO but 1, has been given the equivalent role for the media division.

This is part of a wider strategy which places more "operational responsibility" in the hands of these two distinct divisions.

“We are now positioned to make the most of the release of The Angry Birds Movie in May and some exciting developments in the games and consumer products portfolios throughout 2016," said incoming CEO Levoranta.

"I’m looking forward to continuing to collaborate closely with Mikael Hed and Wilhelm Taht in our new roles, and working with all Rovio employees as we take our business to new heights together.”