“Great place to grow professionally”

Anand Adhiappan in front of a white wall

Vaisala

Anand Adhiappan, CPO at Vaisala, emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and specialization to thrive in Finland's tech industry.

  • Occupation & employer: Chief Product Owner, Xweather Insight products at Vaisala
  • Hometown: Vantaa
  • Country and city of origin: India, Coimbatore
  • Hobbies and personal passions: Nature and trying new things

1. How have you experienced working life in Finland?

In Finland, industry leaders are accessible and often take personal time to coach and mentor individuals. Building a professional network has been important in this environment. Additionally, the excellent work-life balance and multilingual work culture have made the country a great place for both my professional and personal growth.

 

Finland is recognized for its leadership in sectors such as telecommunications, gaming, cleantech, quantum computing, biotechnology, and life sciences. Here, having specific interests and building domain expertise will help one focus and meet industry needs and help in securing opportunities that support progress, as has been the case in my own career.

 

Learning continues even after securing a position. In my experience, companies in Finland have allowed me time to learn new skills, even those unrelated to my job. The only limit to learning is one’s own interest and willingness.

2. What are your tips for career building in Finland?

Start with research in the industry you want to focus on, and start building your competence in it.

 

Be aware and open of where you stand. Being transparent about your strengths and weaknesses helps leaders guide you in the right direction.

 

Prepare to take a great deal of accountability. In Finland, you are expected to drive and manage your responsibilities with minimal supervision. This accountability, coupled with believing in what you are doing, helps you grow.

 

One last thing: be ready for the winter. And remember that summer is always coming, so there is something to look forward to.

3. What originally brought you to Finland?

Specialization in telecom. Where else would I have gone? Most of the innovation comes from Finland. That drew me in, as I wanted to be at the forefront of technological advancements.

 

Additionally, colleagues' experiences about straightforwardness, flat organizational structure and accessibility of leaders were interesting for career progress.

 
 
We were also starting a family at the time, so that factored in our decision, as Finland is a great country to live in, offering a safe environment with an emphasis on nature and well-being.

Vaisala Oyj

“Vaisala’s global customer base makes it important to have a range of cultural backgrounds – diverse teams perform better and excel in decision-making. Talents value organizations that take diversity seriously and have taken concrete actions to improve it. It has been great for us to be able to hire the best talent, not only the best among those who happen to speak Finnish.”

– Joel Kinnunen, Manager – Global Talent Acquisition

 

Vaisala is a global leader in measurement instruments and intelligence with 49 nationalities working in the Finnish office. They provide devices and data to improve resource efficiency, drive energy transition, and care for the safety and well-being of people and societies worldwide.

Colleagues meet with their laptops inside a modern office building. - Mikko Törmänen / Keksi Agency

Finnish work culture

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