Oct 24 (Reuters) - UPM-Kymmene has appointed Massimo Reynaudo as its new CEO, taking over from Jussi Pesonen on Jan. 1 next year, the Finnish forestry firm said on Tuesday.

Pesonen will stay on as an advisor until April 30, when he will retire from UPM after 37 years with the company, it said. He was the CEO for nearly 20 of those years.

Reynaudo is currently the executive vice president of UPM Communication Papers. (Reporting by Greta Rosen Fondahn in Gdansk; editing by Milla Nissi)