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Kempower CEO Bhasker Kaushal spent May reshaping the company’s leadership team around a clear strategic direction: more global operations, more software capability, and a larger services business.
Within two weeks, the company appointed Sami Teininen as chief information officer, confirmed the departure of CFO Jukka Kainulainen, and continued building out roles tied directly to services and international expansion. The moves come as Kempower launches its new Kempower 2.0 strategy and prepares for a more operationally demanding phase of growth.
The leadership changes matter because Kempower is trying to become more than a charging hardware company.
The Finnish EV charging group wants to reach a top-three global position in DC fast charging by 2030 while expanding recurring revenue from software, services, and aftermarket operations. That shift requires different capabilities than the company needed during its earlier expansion phase.
Sami Teininen’s appointment reflects the growing role of software and data
On May 25, Kempower appointed Sami Teininen as CIO and member of the global leadership team, effective August 2026.
Teininen joins from industrial automation company Fastems, where he oversaw global IT strategy, cybersecurity, analytics, governance, and digital transformation. Before that, he held senior international IT leadership roles at Nokian Tyres, including responsibility for North American operations.
Kaushal framed the appointment as part of Kempower’s broader scaling effort:
“As Kempower scales globally, IT has become central to how we operate, serve customers, and compete. It is no longer a support function, but a strategic enabler and differentiator.”
The emphasis on digital infrastructure aligns closely with Kempower 2.0. The company expects its installed base to expand more than 2.5 times by 2030, while aftermarket and services revenue are expected to grow faster than the company overall.
Energy delivered through Kempower chargers already increased 104% year over year in the first quarter of 2026, reaching 311,830 MWh. That growth increases demands for software, cybersecurity, data management, and operational visibility across markets.
Teininen’s background in industrial IT environments appears closely aligned with those needs, particularly as Kempower expands internationally.
Jukka Kainulainen exits during a critical stage of the company’s growth
Earlier in May, Kempower announced that CFO Jukka Kainulainen will leave the company after five years to pursue new opportunities. He will remain in the role until early September while the company searches for a successor.
Kainulainen helped lead Kempower through two important capital markets milestones: its Nasdaq First North listing in 2021 and its move to the Nasdaq Helsinki Main Market two years later.
His departure comes as Kempower introduces updated long-term financial targets and prepares for its Capital Markets Day presentation.
The company is targeting:
15% to 25% annual revenue growth between 2025 and 2030
10% to 15% operative EBIT margins by 2030
A top-three global position in DC fast charging
First-quarter figures showed continued momentum. Revenue rose 54% year over year to €66.8 million, while North American revenue more than tripled. Operative EBIT improved to negative €3.5 million from negative €7.3 million a year earlier. Order backlog stood at €140.7 million.
The CFO transition does not change those targets, but investors will likely watch closely how the company manages execution and capital allocation during the leadership handover.
The broader leadership structure mirrors Kempower’s strategy priorities
The rest of the leadership team increasingly reflects Kempower’s strategic priorities.
Katri Piirtola joined the management team in May as chief services and aftermarket officer, directly supporting the company’s push to expand lifecycle revenue. Monil Malhotra continues to lead North America, one of Kempower’s most important growth markets.
At the same time, Sanna Otava remains COO and interim CTO while the company searches for a permanent technology leader.
That combination suggests technology, software, and operations are becoming more central to how Kempower organizes itself as the business grows internationally.
Kempower is entering a different phase
The company’s recent partnerships reinforce the scale of that ambition.
In May, Kempower signed a three-year global framework agreement with APM Terminals, part of A.P. Moller–Maersk, to supply charging infrastructure across the terminal operator’s network. It also expanded its partnership with Circle K into additional European markets.
Kempower estimates the addressable DC fast-charging market across Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific, excluding China, will grow from roughly €4.5 billion in 2025 to more than €10 billion by 2030.
The leadership changes announced in May do not look like isolated personnel decisions. They align closely with a company preparing for larger international operations, a bigger installed base, and a business model increasingly tied to software and recurring services alongside hardware sales.
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