If you are looking for a leader with a strong technical background and a proven track record in product development and program management, let’s connect!

Looking for the next place to create impact

Summa Semiconductor

What was Summa Semiconductor all about; 
SUMMA SEMICONDUCTOR – BRIDGING THE GAP FROM PROTOTYPING TO MICROELECTRONICS MANUFACTURING.
We manufacture specialized semiconductor devices tailored to customer needs. We provide a full pathway from R&D, prototyping and pilot production to manufacturing.

Services:
- Engineering
- Prototyping
- Pilot production
- Transfer to volume production
- technology transfer
- Technical Consulting

Member Board of Directors

Microsoft

- Member of Mixed Reality Finland Leadership Team – Spearheaded initiatives that improved processes, resulting in 10% faster development cycles.
- Innovation and Implementation – Delivered a 2nd gen fabrication solution that led to step-like performance boost and a superior yield with over 35% reduction in the cost of waveguides.
- Leader and Manager of Managers – Led multiple development teams, managing an organization size of 36  employees. Consistently achieved wellbeing results above the Finland team average in organization surveys each year.
- Investment Facilitator – Successfully secured multimillion-dollar internal investments for the development of 2nd generation fabrication technology and improvements in hard master fabrication technology.
- Technology Management – Co-created the Waveguide fabrication technology roadmap. Steered the development portfolio and worked as a sponsor or steering group member for multiple strategic projects.
- Product Delivery Lead for HoloLens2 Waveguides – Successfully shipped HoloLens2 waveguides, which featured more than double the Field-of-View and improved waveguide efficiency and uniformity compared to HoloLens1.
- Product Delivery Lead for IVAS 1 Waveguides – Successfully shipped IVAS 1 waveguides, which featured more than double the Field of View compared to HoloLens2.

Director, Engineering - HoloLens

- Leadership, Communication and Budget Management – Directed the development of the display and managed communication up to the CVP level. Expertly coordinated and synchronized development activities within a global cross-functional team of over 70 individuals, managing a development budget of over 20 million USD per year.
- Process Innovator – Established a structured process to manage schedules, budgets, and program risks effectively, enhancing overall operational efficiency.
- Team Leader – Managed a local Program Management team consisting of 7 employees, fostering a collaborative and productive work environment.
- Technical Product Manager and Development Leader – Led the maturation of the display fabrication from corporate research into a product, successfully delivering HoloLens 1 displays in line with company targets.

Senior HW Program Manager - HoloLens

- Lead for Diffractive Waveguides Development – Directed the development of diffractive waveguides, achieving a key outcome of over 30% reduction in fabrication noise using Six Sigma methods, which drove the continuation of design development.
- Technical Product / Program Manager – Supervised personnel in waveguide design and prototyping, ensuring high-quality output and adherence to project timelines.

HW Program Manager - HoloLens

EpiCrystals Inc.

- Leader and Technical Program Manager – Utilized leadership skills to supervise a team of 13 people, enhancing product performance by over 30% and yield by over 30 percentage points.
- Manufacturing Manager – Successfully scaled up manufacturing capacity to 10,000 units per month in line with company targets.

Operations Program Manager, Laser Diode

- Team Manager and Leader for Laser Diode Development – Supervised a team of 5 people, focusing on the development of novel laser diodes.
- Product Development Lead – Matured the novel laser diode from research phase into the next stage and transferred fabrication to the target factory, enhancing production efficiency and product quality.

Product Development Manager

- Process Establishment Lead – Successfully established a state-of-the-art 808nm process on time at the target factory and delivered it to the customer.
- End-to-End Development Leader for Novel Laser Diode – Led the end-to-end development for novel Red-Green-Blue laser diode development, ensuring seamless coordination and efficient execution.

R&D Engineer

Optoelectronics Research Centre, Tampere University of Technology

- Development of semiconductor laser processing & passivation 
- Completed master's thesis

Research assistant

Passionate about transforming ideas into impactful solutions, I bring over 15 years of leadership experience in the high-tech industry. My journey has been marked by the successful transformation of early-stage ideas into market-ready products, with a focus on various technical domains. I have managed product programs with annual development budgets in the tens of millions of USD.

In my recent role as a Director at a leading tech company, I led multiple development teams, overseeing an organization of 36 employees. My tenure saw the successful delivery of several key projects, which boasted significant improvements in efficiency and cost-effectiveness compared to their predecessors. I spearheaded the development of next-generation technologies, resulting in a significant performance boost and a reduction in costs. As a sponsor of the strategic development roadmap and portfolio, I secured multimillion-dollar internal funding.

I thrive in complex and ambiguous environments, distilling complexity to drive results. My ability to adopt a broad perspective and collaborate effectively with subject matter experts has consistently led to optimal outcomes for customers.

My leadership philosophy is rooted in clarity, result-orientation, and people development. I am a firm believer in coaching and leading by example. I delegate tasks to experienced leaders, providing guidance as needed. This approach has been appreciated by my team members, who have recognized me for my coaching style and ability to help them achieve more. I am driven by the opportunity to deliver results while collaborating with skilled colleagues and am always on the lookout for new challenges and growth opportunities.

Currently, I am exploring opportunities where I can make a significant impact. If you are seeking a leader with a strong technical background and a proven track record in product development and program management, I would be delighted to connect!

Specialties: Leadership, Technical Program Management, Product Development, Technical Product Management, Technology Management, Communication.

Is the role of line managers becoming obsolete? 

Should we embrace contractors and communities over Full-Time Employees?
 
These are a few of the questions that the book “Exponential Organizations” by Salim Ismail sparked in my mind while I was reading it. 

Instead of going into these questions, let’s open the core message of the book.

Creating something new in a large, established organization can be challenging. 
Such organizations often focus on protecting what they have, rather than taking risks to innovate. 
 
The book describes 11 elements that can aid in making faster and better decisions in today’s data-rich world.
 
When enough of these elements are in place, an organization’s growth and profit can significantly outpace those of traditional ones.

These 11 elements are:
1. MTP – Massive Transformative Purpose: This is the grand, aspirational reason for the organization to exist. It is more than just a mission statement—it should be a compelling call to action.

I.D.E.A.S.
2. Interfaces: Automated systems that interface with the outside world.

3. Dashboard: A real-time, customizable performance tracking system.

4. Experimentation: A culture of innovation.

5. Autonomy: Creating a decentralized authority structure (ultimately a flat org structure).

6. Social: Leveraging social technologies within the organization.


S.C.A.L.E.
7. Staff on Demand: A flexible workforce that can be scaled up or down as needed.

8. Community & Crowd: Leveraging the power of the crowd.

9. Algorithm: Using data and algorithms to automate.

10. Leveraged Assets: Using assets owned by others.

11. Engagement: Creating engagement both internally and externally through techniques like gamification and incentive programs.

There are other points that I’d like to highlight. 
For instance, using more agile target setting like OKRs instead of 5-year strategic planning. 
The environment keeps changing. 
Hence, we should keep the planning cycle short enough as well.
 

I found the book a refreshing way to look at how to build organizations. 
It raised multiple great questions that we should consider. 
 

But for me, one thing is clear...
What has worked earlier 
is not always the best option 
in a changed world.
 

Your turn... 
Have you read the book? If yes, what’s your takeaway? 

Do you agree that the old way of thinking about organizations (and practically many other things) is not the best one in today’s world?

#RecentlyFinishedReading #Leadership #Organization 


Pasi Pietilä

Exponential Organizations

Office Politics – 
People don’t like it, 
But it exists.
 
And that’s why we need to be able to navigate with it.
 

To be clear, in the case of an extremely political organization / culture, you might consider if that is the place to be. 
 
But even in good workplaces, there is a chance for some office politics – both good and bad. (most in bad)
 
-----Short story--- 
Personally, I have used politics to get things forward. 

We had a technology development project. 

At the 1st spin, there were some encouraging results. 
After the 2nd round, it started to look like it was just noise. 
The project continued, and with more data, it became even more apparent that what was seen in the 1st trial was just noise. 


We discussed with the project lead and she agreed that it doesn’t make sense to continue.
But she wasn’t willing to close it as management wants to continue with the project. 

We discussed this with the management / org leads and they agreed that it doesn’t look promising...
but didn’t want to close the project. 
(Because project lead might feel offended.) 

So, we actually ended up using a different “sponsor” to bubble up unfiltered data to upper management, which helped us to close the project.

And this is a classic example of how politics works – 
You speak up with people, 
find allies, and 
lobby ideas 
to get the desired outcome.
----    --------

But let’s be clear… 
most of the time, politics is not fruitful. 

The roots of office politics originate 
from people’s will to drive their own interest 
instead of the company’s interest.
 

If you face office politics, here’s a few things that you can do:

 /*/ Align the priorities (Make sure that each stakeholder understands that you are driving things that help the company to move forward).

 /*/ Use public commitments 
        - Ask what you need in public. 
        - Ask what are the gating items in public, etc.

 /*/ If others are asking for “random” tasks to do extra analysis, ask for their help to execute that analysis. 
        - (if they see a real issue, they will do it and that’s a good thing for the company)

 /*/ Get allies / sponsors, speak to them and show your work and data to them.  
 
And most importantly – Try to avoid politics yourself. 
There’s nothing to gain. 
But still remember that it might exist.

 
Your turn… 
Have you observed office politics? 
What are your thoughts on office politics?
 
#Leadership #OfficePolitics #FocusOnCommonBenefit
#FridayLearningUpdate 

Office Politics... 

“Innovation means saying no to 1 000 things.” - Steve Jobs.
 
But often, progress requires managers who also say yes.


Those who have followed my content know that I’m a huge fan of saying “no” when it comes to prioritization. 

At the same time, as managers and leaders, we need to learn to say yes more often.
 

Working in larger companies typically means dealing with rigid review processes.
Processes where a manager or HIPO (Highest Paid Person’s Opinion) has the power to say "no".
 
And if you bring new ideas, that’s what they typically do… say "no".

 
It’s not because the new idea would be bad…
 
It’s because the idea is either risky or not supporting the today's main money-making approach.
 

And the reason why these new ideas (risky and a bit off from the current money-making things) are so important… 
 ..Yes, you guessed it… 
It’s because those are the ideas that helps to make big improvements and open opportunities for future growth.
 
 
I know that there are processes and structures in place at many companies to leverage the ideas coming from all the levels. 
 
I would still encourage each manager and leader to have a bias to say yes to the ideas coming from the team. 
 
Your turn… 
* Would you like to work in an environment where managers are assumed to say yes to your ideas? 
* Have you seen the bias and tendency to get "no" for new ideas?
 
#ideas #leadership #sayingNo #SayingYes #management

There are always multiple excuses for not doing things…
 
But nothing that Finnish “sisu” cannot overcome.
 
----- (A Short Story) -----

👆 This was my thinking this week Monday.

Our youngest kid had an outdoor football (soccer) practice.
And it was around 0°C with a steady rain of slush.
 
My personal commitment is to focus on self-development during kids practices. (one plays football and both plays handball.)

It's either physical (exercise) or mental (reading/training course) self-development.

Of course, during Monday I could have easily retreated to a nearby café or gone home and returned later to pick up my kid.
But I had my personal commitment. 
 
There’s a track and an outdoor gym next to the football field. 
The weather was too wet for reading a book...
and too cold to keep the phone battery running for 1,5 hours for a training video. (Audio training would have been an option)

So, I naturally decided to take advantage of the outdoor gym and running track.
 
While running laps, my mind returned to the beginning of this post.
 
With help of sisu, I picked the commitment for self-development.
-----
 
So, what is the Finnish “sisu” and how does it relate to this story?
 
Sisu is a combination of grit, resilience, hardiness, and discipline for our own commitments.

 
And grit, discipline, resilience, and hardiness are the qualities that keep us working towards our goals. 

These are the things that help us achieve things… 
not necessarily today, maybe not tomorrow, but over a longer period. 

And while it takes time, we need to have the sisu to keep going.
 
So let’s embrace the sisu.
 
Your turn... 
Did you already know the word sisu? 
Do you agree with the importance of sisu (grit, resilience, hardiness, and discipline)?

#SelfLeadership #sisu #grit #discipline
 
P.S. I'll continue story in the comments...


How to Ensure That We Pick the Right Bets?
 
The answer is strategic planning.
 
This is at least the traditional way to look at things. 

If you have seen my Wednesday post from "Exponential Organizations", you know that there are new / different ways to approach this. 

The strategic planning process is an “old-school” approach to ensure focus, but I feel that it isn’t obsolete.
We just need to make it more agile, flexible, and remember to update it frequently.
 
A few words from basics…
Strategy should not be a list of projects hidden in top management’s locked drawers. 
It should be a list of initiatives that are 
aligned with the vision, 
passed through the commonly agreed filters and prioritization process, 
and communicated to the team. 
As well as resourced together with the initiative owner. 

To make enable sufficient resourcing, we need to be able to draw the line and say "no" to many great ideas. 
 

I have been doing (technology) strategy planning myself, and the process covered in the training looked very familiar. 

We need to understand the landscape. 
We need to have clarity on the direction that we want to go.
We need to have initiatives to prioritize. 
We need to create filters and a ranking system. 
We need to ensure focus and clarity – we need to draw the line and be able to say no. 
We need to look at things from multiple different angles to ensure long-term benefits and successful diversification. 
And setting up an organizational structure to support the new strategy is also crucial.
 
 
Based on my experience, there is something that the training didn’t cover. 
We should also think about how to get new initiatives. 
When we do the strategic planning, we set the direction where we want to go (vision and objectives, in simplified terms). 
It might very well be that there aren’t enough existing ideas on how to obtain all the objectives. 
If this is the case, it is super important to be able to generate new ideas.
 
Creating new great ideas (to tackle challenging objectives or to add diversity to portfolio) and getting team to draw the line are typical pitfalls based on my experience. 

We easily keep on doing what we have done earlier, and focusing our energy & resources to the things that don’t necessary make sense against our filters and objectives (as we are not able to draw the line and say no to great ideas that don’t support the long term targets). 
 
My Call-To-Action is;
Let’s utilize the strategic planning process in an agile way and make sure that we create enough initiatives to ensure that we tackle all the objectives.
 

Your turn… 
Do you trust the importance of strategic planning? 
Or do you use a different method to ensure alignment with high-level objectives?
 
#FridayLearningUpdate #Strategy #Planning #Leadership

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