My story
So, who am I?
HR expertise and passion for development
My background is in HR, where I've worked across diverse organisations and industries. I've had the privilege to work on inspiring topics such as leadership development, organisational culture, employer branding, talent acquisition, and learning & development. A common thread in all my roles has been a focus on development and creating something new, driven by the opportunity to support and empower individuals.
Global perspective
Since childhood I have been interested in different cultures, and this global perspective has significantly influenced my career and life choices. From high school onwards, my studies and career have been in international settings. I have lived in four countries and have always worked with international organisations. Internationality is an integral part of my daily life – not only professionally but also in my private life that I share with my Australian partner and our bicultural children.
A calling and passion for DEI
After nearly 20 years in various developmental HR roles, I discovered my true calling in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). While working with employer branding and talent acquisition at Futurice, a European tech consultancy originating from Finland, I became involved in emerging DEI work, helping to push these initiatives forward. Gradually, with the help of our working group DEI gained more significance within the company. When it was identified as one of the key initiatives for a new organisational strategy, I was able to transition to focus on it full-time. The profound connection to my personal values and the sense of purpose this work brought me made me realize that I had found my dream profession at the age of 40—even though I didn’t know I was looking for it!
Pioneer in DEI leadership
As the Head of DEI at Futurice, I led strategic and operational DEI initiatives to transform the organisation into a more inclusive workplace. My role focused on creating and implementing the global DEI strategy, collecting relevant data, and setting measurable goals for change. I spearheaded projects such as the Inclusive Leadership Mentoring Program, the Inclusion Canvas tool, inclusive recruitment processes, training managers on inclusive leadership, and creating a Code of Conduct and guidelines for non-inclusive situations. I worked closely with top leaders, I engaged with the company board in DEI work and in addition to my internal focus I worked as a DEI consultant in client projects. I was invited to the juries of GrandOne 2023 in the category of "Most equitable work" and Nordic Women in Tech 2023 Finland category.
Fostering organisational culture change
An integral part of my role was fostering culture change at multiple levels of the organisation, from redesigning practices and processes to supporting leadership and individuals in behavioral change. As one of the first in-house DEI leaders in Finland, I not only focused on impactful change within my organisation but also pioneered how to lead organisational DEI work in Finnish context. Our DEI efforts at Futurice received several awards and recognitions, resulting in diversified candidate pools, better employee retention, new business opportunities, and deepened client relationships.
Solopreneur
Witnessing first-hand the real impact of strategic DEI work on both the people and culture as well as on business results, further cemented my belief that DEI will become an essential element of any organisation’s success in the near future. With my passion for helping organisations to become better at DEI and thus creating a more inclusive society, I recognized that my experience could benefit a broader audience. This realisation led me to establish my own business in 2023. Now, I have the privilege of supporting numerous organisations on their DEI journeys, doing the work I love.
