I kicked off 2026 by co-hosting Fujitsu ActivateNow Finland, a flagship event that also marked Fujitsu’s 90th anniversary as a global technology company.
This was more than a New Year kick-off. It was a moment to pause, reflect, and look forward — connecting decades of innovation heritage with the questions leaders face today and tomorrow.
From Finland to Japan and Back
Together with my sharp and thoughtful co-host Mikko Lampinen, I guided the audience through a narrative journey that moved seamlessly between Finland and Japan.
The program explored:
- Fujitsu’s innovation legacy
- What it takes to build frontier organizations
- Cybersecurity hygiene in a rapidly shifting threat landscape
- How sustainability is embedded into business strategy
My personal success formula for the evening was simple and effective: thorough preparation, genuine collaboration, trust in the process, and openness to unscripted moments.
And yes, ending the evening by singing a birthday song together with the Fujitsu team made the celebration feel truly collective.
Long-Term Thinking in Action
One fact that stood out to me: Fujitsu has been operating in Finland for over 66 years.
At a time when many leaders are pressured into short-term thinking, Fujitsu continues to plan boldly for the future — including the post-quantum era, rising cybersecurity risks, and the governance structures needed to manage AI responsibly.
The ambition to grow Fujitsu’s consulting business and to support organizations navigating complexity was clearly present throughout the day.
Leadership in the Age of AI and Complexity
With AI dominating conversations, one uncomfortable question keeps surfacing:
What does all this mean for us, as leaders and as humans?
Insight is no longer the bottleneck. Decision-making and action are.
And in parallel, another challenge is accelerating: how to lead and manage change in increasingly diverse, global, multigenerational, and differently abled workplaces.
Leadership, in the end, is the sum of personal decisions.
The human factor must not become the weakest link, it must be our strongest asset. That requires urgency, shared responsibility, and courageous collaboration.
Creating Space for Hope and Trust
A heartfelt thank you to Sisters Inc. Inc. and Anna Airikkala-Eghaghara and their teams for shaping an atmosphere grounded in hope, trust, and empathy; especially meaningful at a time when the world outside often feels locked in permanent crisis mode.
And warm thanks to everyone who contributed to the success of the day – from speakers and organizers to partners and participants – for showing up with curiosity, openness, and ambition.
Fujitsu ActivateNow Finland was a powerful way to begin the year: honoring legacy, facing complexity honestly, and choosing to lead with both intelligence and humanity.
