The Chief of Finance 2025, held on 17 September 2025 in Helsinki, kicked off with an interesting discussion on Navigating Growth in the New Technology Industry between Jukka Kainulainen, CFO at Kempower, and Lea Välilä, Senior Managing Consultant at Midagon. The event host, Peter Nyman, moderated the discussion.
The session opened with a discussion on how finance can drive growth without compromising long-term goals. Jukka Kainulainen shared Kempower’s journey, highlighting the importance of equity funding and IPO readiness during their rapid expansion. He also emphasised that as a listed company, they must comply with regulations, even if some of their internal processes are still developing. Further, he noted that all success is down to having a really good team of people.
“Finance needs to collaborate closely with sales, procurement, and HR. It’s about building scenarios—rapid growth, moderate growth, and low growth—and even a worst-case plan,” Jukka noted.
Lea Välilä reinforced this by stressing the shift from cost control to strategic enablement. According to her finance teams must go beyond reporting to become a strategic partner, contribute to pricing models, market entry strategies, and scenario planning.
Scaling globally brings complexity. Jukka pointed out that regional demand forecasting and investment prioritisation are among the toughest challenges. “Where do you put decision-making authority? How do you ensure compliance across regions while staying agile?” he pointed out the key considerations.
Lea suggested some of the best practices applied in high performing finance teams:
Harmonised processes and KPIs across markets.
A global accounting manual for consistency.
Empowering local teams within clear guidelines to maintain agility.
Investing in ERP and reporting systems to ensure data flows seamlessly.
Talent was another critical factor. Jukka admitted that finding experienced finance managers externally was hard, so developing internal talent became a priority.
Looking ahead, both speakers agreed that finance leaders must combine core financial expertise with technological fluency. AI and advanced analytics are reshaping forecasting and scenario planning, but as Jukka noted, “There’s still a lot of work to do. We’re experimenting, but ROI takes time.”
Lea added that continuous learning—in technology, regulations, and business models—is essential for finance teams to remain relevant. She also encouraged Finnish companies to adopt a bolder mindset toward risk, contrasting Finland's risk-averse culture with the aggressive funding environment in the US, what Jukka described.
“Finance leaders need to be courageous, optimistic, and ready to lead from the front—while letting their teams shine,” Jukka concluded.
Finance must evolve from reporting to strategic leadership.
Scenario planning and cross-functional collaboration are critical in uncertain markets.
Technology adoption (ERP, AI, forecasting tools) is no longer optional.
Talent development and agility are essential for global scaling.
A courageous mindset is needed in the international competition.
In turbulent times, companies must demonstrate resilience and be ready to adapt with flexible strategies.
