Digia Plc Stock exchange release 16 May 2017 at 1:10 pm
Digia renews its operating model: changes in management and organisation
Digia Plc is renewing and simplifying its operating model to ensure growth. This will also involve organisational restructuring and changes to the composition of the Group Management Team.
Ari Rikkilä (b. 1967, MSc. (Engineering)) has been appointed as Digia Plc's Director, Sales and Marketing as of 16 May 2017. Rikkilä is joining Digia from Accenture, where he was the Nordic sales lead for cloud services. He has also held leadership positions at other companies, such as Tieto and Also Group, and been CEO of Nervogrid and Efecte Corp. Rikkilä has extensive experience in harnessing cloud services to promote business development. Erkki Talvela, Digia's current SVP Sales and Marketing, will be leaving the company.
Digia is strengthening its operations in the financial business with the formation of a new business area, Financial Sector. This organisation change will take place as of 1 June 2017. The change will support growth in Digia's product and service business in the financial sector. Tuomo Niemi (b. 1962, MSc. (Economics & Business), MSc. (Engineering)) will lead this area as of 1 June 2017. Niemi has held numerous leadership positions at Accenture. His lengthy experience includes responsibility for Finnish banking and non-life insurance operations, and Accenture's outsourcing sales in Finland and the Nordic countries. Tommi Flink will continue to lead Financial Solutions and Services, reporting to Tuomo Niemi.
Kristiina Simola (b. 1965, MSc. (Econ.)) has been appointed as Digia Plc's CFO. Simola will start in her new position by 17 August at the latest. She is joining Digia from her current position as CFO of Ixonos Plc. Her previous positions have included Deputy Managing Director and Group CFO of Mirasys Oy, Senior Manager and Finance Transformation Business Lead at Deloitte Oy, and CFO at Profit Software Oy. Digia's current CFO, Tuula Haataja, will continue in her existing position until the end of the transfer period.
"Our customers expect us to provide expertise, be visionary, and generate genuine added value for their own businesses. The aforementioned changes will strengthen our expertise in cloud services and the financial sector in particular," says Digia's President & CEO, Timo Levoranta.
In order to boost efficiency, Digia will be combining Horizontal Services with functions reporting to the CTO. The new unit will be led by Juhana Juppo (b. 1971, MSc. (Computer Science)), as CTO and Senior Vice President, Horizontal Services. Tom Puusola, the current SVP Horizontal Services, will continue at Digia during the transfer period. The new organisation will come into force on 16 May 2017. The Horizontal Services unit is part of Digia's service business strategy, and will steer the development of shared operating models and technologies.
The members of Digia Plc's Group Management Team:
- Timo Levoranta, President & CEO, Group Management Team Member since 1 May 2016
- Heikki Honkala, Vice President, Industry Solutions, Group Management Team Member since 1 April 2017
- Juhana Juppo, CTO and Senior Vice President, Horizontal Solutions, Group Management Team Member since 19 September 2016
- Mika Kervinen, General Counsel, Group Management Team Member since 1 May 2016
- Tuomo Niemi, Director, Financial Sector, Group Management Team Member as of 1 June 2017
- Ari Rikkilä, Director, Sales and Marketing, Group Management Team Member since 16 May 2017
- Marko Saarinen, Senior Vice President, Digital Services, Group Management Team Member since 1 July 2016
- Kristiina Simola, CFO, Group Management Team Member as of 17 August 2017 (at the latest)
- Teemu Virtanen, Vice President, Integration and Information Management, Group Management Team Member since 1 May 2016
More information about Digia's corporate governance and management is available at www.digia.com/en/investors/governance.
Further information: Timo Levoranta, CEO, Digia Plc, tel. +358 (0)10 313 3000 (exchange)
Distribution: Nasdaq Helsinki Key media www.digia.com
Digia is a profitably growing IT service company that helps its customers harness digital opportunities. As a visionary partner, Digia develops and innovates solutions that support business operations together with its customers. We adapt our expertise to their specific industries to help them develop digital services, manage operations and utilise information. We employ over 900 experts in Finland and Sweden. We are expanding our international presence together with our customers. Digia's net sales in 2016 (continuing operations) totalled EUR 86.5 million. The company is listed on NASDAQ Helsinki (DIGIA). www.digia.com
