Hi Eero! Could you tell us a bit about your background and career path – how did you end up at Mantec and in your current role?
My entire career has revolved around improving overall productivity in various roles. This has included optimizing supply chains, organizational restructuring, developing management systems, deploying strategy, transformations, sales development, and digitalization. In essence, everything related to improving operational efficiency, whether for growth or cost-effectiveness.
My Master’s thesis at the Helsinki School of Economics focused on productivity improvement in expert organizations, and so far I’ve delivered 198 projects.
Consulting runs in the family too – my father was a management consultant, and both my brothers and cousin work in the field.
About ten years ago, we decided to strengthen Mantec’s sales capacity in Finland alongside Bent Hansen and Göran Svensson. Since then, my role has primarily focused on developing the market and opening new client relationships. It has been an enriching career, and my strong operational background has greatly supported my work in sales and client collaboration.
You’ve been with Mantec for quite some time – what originally attracted you to the company and its approach?
I’ve worked with my colleague Martin for 25 years, and when Mantec’s founders proposed a collaboration in Finland in 2005, I immediately saw it as an opportunity worth taking.
Martin had already worked with them in Sweden, and I knew from his experience that this must be a solid operation. Mantec is unique in that its core purpose is to help clients reach a new level of operational performance. Our job is to ensure measurable results are achieved.
Over my career, I’ve encountered many excellent consulting firms, both large and small. But Mantec’s drive and genuine commitment to practical execution is exceptional. We don’t just analyze problems and make recommendations – we implement the solutions together with the client organization. And most importantly, the majority of the change work happens at the operational level.
This is a fundamentally different way of working than what’s traditionally associated with consulting.
Our work is always hands-on – we solve meaningful problems, big and small, that together create a powerful stream of change. That stream transforms processes, culture, and ultimately, business performance. What makes it all worthwhile is that when we execute a project, we reach the outcomes – and prove them with jointly defined metrics. In my experience, Mantec’s execution capability is in a league of its own.
What does your role as Sales Director at Mantec involve on a day-to-day basis?
My work is all about engaging with clients, understanding their challenges and structuring them, and planning how to solve problems and seize opportunities.
Once we identify a potential project, we build an approach with our specialists and fine-tune it with the client’s key people. When the project kicks off, I serve on the steering group as a link between the main client and the operational team, and I contribute to solution development.
In expert sales, you need to live the project with the client and ensure they get what was agreed. That’s not a given – the client’s perspective needs to be present throughout the project to maintain focus.
Change projects are often complex and wide-reaching. Organizations include many stakeholders with different expectations: simply put, owners seek value, CEOs seek growth and competitiveness, CFOs look at the income statement, operations want efficiency and culture, and employees want clarity and flow. All these perspectives need to be acknowledged.
Project teams can easily focus solely on their own domain, but to succeed overall, we need to broaden our view and understand how to deliver value across the board.
What makes this work truly interesting is the constant interaction with the top management and owners of major Nordic companies. These are highly intelligent and determined professionals. Collaborating with them on business growth, operational efficiency, or technological advancement is incredibly rewarding. I learn a lot from them – and thankfully, the feeling is mutual. We’ve delivered projects with most of them.
How would you describe Mantec’s sales process? What does it take to succeed?
Our sales process starts with identifying potential opportunities together with management and key personnel – usually something related to improving competitiveness. There needs to be a real challenge, untapped potential, or an emerging need.
It’s important to quickly assess the scope and significance of this need. From there, we determine what kind of investment is warranted and whether we’re the right partner.
Straightforward discussion and mutual trust are absolutely essential at this stage. The process must be collaborative and smooth to move forward. Often, the next step is to agree on an analysis phase – a joint effort to map the current state, identify fact-based improvement potential, and outline how to realize it.
What skills or qualities are particularly important in your line of sales?
Naturally, the ability to ask the right questions, listen actively, and deeply engage with the client’s situation. But also, enough experience and expertise to bring value to the conversation from the very beginning.
You need to structure and analyze the client’s problems, generate solution ideas, and ultimately, most importantly – execute them.
The professionals we meet are very mindful of their time, so they expect us to quickly share our best thinking on how to get to the next level. What steps and investments are needed, what to consider, and what pitfalls to avoid. You have to give concrete answers, while recognizing that every client is different.
Only by immersing ourselves in the client’s environment and operations through a structured process can we confidently say what needs to change and how.
Trust and open relationships are key, and we invest heavily in maintaining them through continuous dialogue.
How is trust built when offering a deep and broad transformation project?
Trust is built by sharing insights and being present. Ultimately, it only develops through working together.
The analysis phase is key – it allows us to dive into the client’s operations, processes, data, and structure, building shared understanding and trust based on the best available information.
Our consultants’ presence within the client’s organization and spontaneous conversations are essential. During the analysis, the real work happens, and so does the trust-building. Remote work and Teams meetings present challenges, but we find ways to be present – it’s a prerequisite for success. Without trust, transformation simply cannot happen.
How does Mantec stand out from other consulting firms from the client’s point of view?
Execution capability. Measurable results. Referrals.
How would you describe Mantec’s work culture – what makes it distinctive or meaningful?
We have an exceptionally strong commitment to delivering customer value and a shared drive to do great work. Nearly all of our consultants have over 15 years of experience in operational efficiency, either as specialists or line managers.
We run cross-country and cross-industry projects. Our team brings together deep experience from Nordic industry, services, and retail. Some of us are sector experts, but what really defines us is our ability to leverage experience across industries. That fuels continuous innovation in analytics and implementation.
We’ve all handled challenging projects, which builds confidence – we can solve problems anywhere. Just as important is our constant dialogue with clients and executives – we know what’s happening on the ground and what needs to be developed.
And we spend time together outside of work too – which says a lot about our team culture.
You’ve seen Mantec evolve over the years – what has changed and what has stayed the same?
The attitude hasn’t changed: projects are done to the highest standard and results must be delivered. If they’re not visible in the metrics, the job isn’t finished.
What has changed most is the expectations from clients. Their expertise and processes have developed significantly. That pushes us to deliver even more focused value – and we’ve succeeded in that.
Digitalization has driven massive change over the past 15 years, and new technologies like AI and machine learning are accelerating it. These technologies enhance human expertise, which remains central.
We’ve added new capabilities, but the core team has stayed together for over 15 years. Virtual meetings have changed client work somewhat, but thankfully our clients also understand that impactful change requires presence.
What do you find most rewarding in your work – in sales or in client projects?
Many things – big and small successes. Recently, I met a former client who recalled a project we did years ago. He shared how the productivity leap we achieved had a lasting impact on his organization – and even on his personal career. That meant a lot.
And of course, project wrap-ups – evenings where we celebrate success with the client and our team, reflecting on the shared journey.
What keeps you motivated year after year? How do you stay focused in the long term?
This might be the most interesting job in the world. I haven’t had one job – I’ve had 200, across different projects in about 15 countries. Each one unique.
Every transformation depends on people. Even in large organizations, change hinges on individuals. A change consultant must operate in that space and earn people’s trust. They must become motivated themselves, and our role is to enable that.
Staying focused isn’t hard, because our work is project-based – every year is a fresh start. We must secure new projects, ensure our experts have meaningful work, and continue delivering value.
Our collaboration with Andersen Consulting is an exciting new chapter. It opens global doors for us, with entirely new resources and competencies.
I believe the future for what we offer remains bright – solving organizational challenges will always require dedicated expertise. While technology and AI will increasingly support that work, you still need people who know how to apply them.
How do you spend your free time – what helps you recharge outside of work?
With my partner Mia and our cottage in the Snappertuna archipelago. We’ve been renovating it for about five years, and hands-on work has been a great counterbalance to knowledge work.
