Mika Kuusisto has announced that he is stepping down as CEO of ENCE Esports after a tenure of more than seven years. Kuusisto, who was appointed to the role in November 2018, shared the news on June 15, reflecting on a stretch that he described as full of both highs and difficult stretches. His departure marks the end of a defining era for one of Finland's most prominent esports organisations, though he is not leaving the company entirely.
A CEO Exit With No Replacement
The most notable element of the announcement is that ENCE has decided not to appoint a new CEO at all. Instead, Kuusisto has implemented a flatter management structure, distributing leadership of the organisation's core operations across three people who will each take full ownership of their areas: Joona Leppänen will lead Content, Brand, and Marketing; Samuli Kaikkonen will head Sales and Partnerships; and Eemeli Ikonen will run Esports and Performance. Kuusisto expressed complete confidence in the trio to "run the shop together" and steer ENCE back toward growth. He framed the move as part of building a "leaner, more agile foundation for the future," language that reflects the cost-conscious reasoning behind removing the CEO role rather than filling it.
A Turnaround Still in Progress
Mika Kuusisto was candid that the change comes amid a challenging financial period for the organisation. He described the past few months as "a massive turnaround period" involving an extensive restructuring of the company, a process he says is still ongoing. He committed to remaining "heavily involved in the trenches" until the turnaround is complete and ENCE has returned to what he called a "sustainable baseline." The financial pressure behind that restructuring is stark when viewed through the org's competitive results, with ENCE having earned roughly $155,000 in prize money across 2025 but only around $2,000 so far in 2026, a sharp collapse in tournament income.
That strain has already reshaped ENCE's competitive operations this year. In March, the organisation disbanded its CS2 roster to rebuild with young Finnish talent, stating that orgs like it are finding it increasingly difficult to reach the top of Counter-Strike in the modern ecosystem, and it has since refocused its competitive efforts on Finland, a move that involved parting ways with several staff. The team has not appeared at a CS2 Major since 2024, and former star allu recently returned to the org as its CS2 head coach in June as part of the reset.
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