Hello curious minds,
Monday is here again, and it means it’s time for Listeds Pulse Nordic! This week there are some very interesting changes.
Listeds Pulse Nordic is your weekly Monday briefing on the most relevant leadership shifts shaping the corporate landscape. Soon, we’ll expand our lens to cover the entire Nordic region, but for now, we’re focused on Finland’s movers and shakers.
About this edition:
This week’s insights span from June 16 to June 22, 2025.
Leadership in Motion
Over the past week, we tracked 2 board changes and 3 management team changes across Finnish listed companies.
Leadership Insights: Nokia appoints Victoria Hanrahan as Chief of Staff to CEO
Nokia has named Victoria Hanrahan as Chief of Staff to President and CEO Justin Hotard, a key leadership appointment that signals a new phase in the company’s transformation. Hanrahan joins the Group Leadership Team and will be based in Espoo, Finland.
What makes this move particularly noteworthy is Hanrahan’s deep expertise in global marketing, most recently as VP of Global Marketing for High Performance Compute & AI at HPE. She also previously held a Chief of Staff position at HPE, supporting its HPC & AI business unit, which gives her a rare dual background in strategic marketing and executive coordination.
This kind of Chief of Staff (CoS) role is still very rare among publicly listed companies in Finland. Our tracking has identified only one other case: Kati Nyman at Elisa. However, it’s increasingly common in global tech firms and Fortune 500 companies, particularly in the U.S. Examples include Meta, Microsoft, Autodesk, and Scale AI, where the CoS operates as a strategic right hand to the CEO or business unit leader owning everything from cross-functional execution and strategic initiatives to internal communications and organizational alignment.
In Nokia’s case, Hanrahan’s appointment resembles a COO-style strategic role, embedded directly within the CEO’s office. She will be responsible for driving operational excellence, improving internal collaboration, and ensuring the leadership team is aligned on strategic goals.
Our take
The Chief of Staff title can mean many things, but at Nokia, it clearly represents a high-trust, high-impact strategic role. Hanrahan’s combination of marketing expertise and operational leadership suggests that Nokia is doubling down on internal execution, leadership discipline, and innovation delivery.
With Justin Hotard (ex-HPE) continuing to reshape the company’s leadership structure, including the recent appointment of David Heard (ex-Infinera CEO) as President of Network Infrastructure, Hanrahan’s arrival reflects Nokia’s pivot toward fast-scaling leadership with global tech DNA.
Board moves & AI talent watch: QPR Software Welcomes Maija Hovila
As summer arrives, the pace of boardroom appointments across Finnish listed companies slows, but not without meaningful developments. One shift we’re particularly encouraged by is the growing presence of AI-experienced professionals on public company boards.
This week, QPR Software announced the appointment of Maija Hovila to its board of directors, replacing Linda von Schantz. Hovila brings deep experience in data, analytics, and artificial intelligence leadership. She currently serves as Chief Data & AI Strategist at Futurice and has held senior roles at KONE, including Chief Analytics Officer and Global Head of Analytics, as well as key analytics leadership positions at Unilever and Capgemini in London.
Her appointment signals a larger trend: AI is increasingly being recognized as a core boardroom competency. In the United States, this mindset is already taking root. Companies like Walmart, Intel, Procter & Gamble, and Salesforce have brought on board members with deep expertise in artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and data ethics. These appointments are not symbolic, they reflect a recognition that understanding AI is critical to making informed decisions at the highest level.
Our take
At Listeds, we’re actively tracking this shift and building a curated list of public company board members with AI backgrounds.
If your company is considering adding an AI perspective to the board, we can help. Whether you’re looking for an expert on responsible AI, a data strategist, or someone who can translate technical complexity into board-level strategy, we have the network and insight to connect you with the right talent.
Let us know if you'd like to explore your options.
Only 1 in 10 companies are truly AI-ready: A wake-up call for Nordic leadership https://www.nordiclistedleaders.com/articles/only-1-in-10-companies-are-truly-ai-readya-wake-up-call-for-nordic-leadership
How to think about AI as a leader: Responsibility, opportunity, and cultural shift
https://www.nordiclistedleaders.com/articles/how-to-think-about-ai-as-a-leader-responsibility-opportunity-and-culture-shift
Save the Date: Nordic Listed Leaders Gala 2025
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Until next week,
– Helene Auramo
Founder, Listeds Pulse Newslettervelopments