Born in Turku, Finland, in 1940, Antti Ilmari Aarnio-Wihuri is a Finnish industrialist, former race car driver, and the head of the diversified industrial conglomerate, the Wihuri Group. His life is a fascinating blend of corporate leadership and high-octane sport. He comes from a prominent Finnish family whose history of entrepreneurship dates back over a century, with roots in the maritime industry.

Antti joined the family business, the Wihuri Group, in the 1960s. However, his personal passion lay in motorsports. In the early 1970s, he achieved notable success as a former race driver and team principal, with his AAW Racing Team winning the prestigious Interserie three times. This background in competitive racing instilled in him a love for high performance, precision, and decisive risk-taking, qualities he later applied to the world of industrial management.

Antti Aarnio-Wihuri’s career is defined by his long tenure as a CEO and his successful global diversification of the Wihuri Group. He took over as CEO in 1977 and spent decades transforming the Finnish firm from a domestic industrial player into a global conglomerate with over 5,000 employees and a vast international footprint. The Wihuri Group’s business is highly diversified, spanning packaging, technology, daily commodities, and technical trade.

A key strategy under his leadership was aggressive international expansion, notably becoming the largest single shareholder in the Canadian packaging company, Winpak. His business philosophy, inherited from his seafaring ancestors, stresses that when one has significant capital, it should be used in a way that provides a visible and tangible beneficial boost to society. This belief in purposeful wealth led him to prioritize long-term, stable industrial growth and a deep commitment to supporting young talent, particularly in motorsports, where he has notably supported F1 driver Valtteri Bottas.

Antti Aarnio-Wihuri’s philanthropy is formalized through the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation, established by his predecessors, which focuses on supporting the Finnish national defense (historically), science, and the arts. His personal focus is on ensuring his wealth provides a 'visible and tangible' benefit to society.

His personal legacy is strongly connected to Finnish culture and sport. His support of burgeoning Finnish talent, particularly in the high-cost world of Formula 1 racing, is a major contribution to national pride and athletic development. Furthermore, the stability and global employment provided by the Wihuri Group's international expansion represent a structural contribution to the Finnish economy and global industrial stability.

Antti Aarnio-Wihuri embodies the high-quality, reserved style of a Finnish industrial patriarch. His attire is consistently conservative and professional, favoring tailored suits and classic European business wear. His aesthetic is one of quiet authority, reflecting his roots in generational industrial wealth and his decades of executive command.

His lifestyle is secure and international, centered in Helsinki. His luxury is the freedom to indulge his lifelong passion for motorsports—a high-cost, high-performance hobby that contrasts with the traditional industrial business. His wealth affords him private travel and the ability to command a global industrial enterprise, ensuring the Wihuri legacy continues into its second century.