7 Questions with interim expert in business, technology and process development, Dr. Janne Ohtonen
Ferovalo is proud to introduce Janne Ohtonen (PhD), a Best Best Talent Platform Member who has completed a successful interim assignment through our service. Janne recently finished a 17-month assignment at Gasum, receiving positive feedback from the company's management.
We sat down with Janne to hear about his experience on the assignment
Q1: What was your role during this interim assignment?
“My role was to lead Gasum’s group-wide procurement transformation as an interim Group Procurement Project Manager. In practice, that meant turning strategic procurement ambitions into concrete ways of working across the business: planning the roadmap, redesigning governance and processes, building documentation and training materials, defining KPIs, and helping make the model practical and scalable for everyday use.”
Q2: What do you think made you stand out as the right person for the job?
“I believe it was the combination of structured delivery, business transformation experience, and the ability to create momentum quickly in a complex environment. The assignment called for someone who could not only design better procurement principles, but also engage stakeholders, work hands-on, and move the project forward without heavy supervision. That mix of strategic thinking and practical execution has been a consistent theme throughout my career.”
Q3: What was your biggest challenge throughout the assignment?
“The biggest challenge was making group-level change real in day-to-day operations across multiple stakeholders and business units. It is one thing to define a better procurement model on paper; it is another to build alignment, document it clearly, train people, and make sure the new approach works in practice. That requires persistence, collaboration, and a steady focus on both people and outcomes.”
Q4: What type of skills or previous experiences helped you to be successful in the role?
“A strong background in transformational leadership helped a great deal. I have led complex change initiatives across business, process, data, and technology, enabling me to combine project leadership, process design, stakeholder management, and governance in a way that suited the client’s needs. My experience with enterprise tools and data-driven improvement also proved valuable, especially in preparing procurement data for using it to improve workflows, documentation, and decision support.”
Q5: What stood out to you most during your time with the company?
“What stood out most was the combination of strategic importance and genuine collaboration. Gasum was not looking for a cosmetic improvement project — the work was clearly business-critical and closely linked to how the company supports its operations and long-term future. I was also impressed by how many people across the organization engaged constructively in the work.”
Q6: What was your biggest takeaway from this experience?
“My biggest takeaway was that meaningful transformation happens when competence and execution come together. Clear governance, good processes, and the right tools matter, but real progress comes from getting people aligned around a shared goal and then following through consistently. This assignment was a strong reminder that interim leadership can be especially effective when an organization needs focus, momentum, and practical results.”
Q7: What kind of opportunities are you looking forward to next?
“I’m looking forward to opportunities where I can help organizations lead business-critical transformation at the intersection of strategy, operations, technology, and AI-enabled ways of working. I enjoy stepping into complex environments, bringing clarity, building momentum, and translating ambitious goals into measurable outcomes. Roles involving technology, operating model development, major change programmes, or broader digital and business transformation are all very much in that space.”
Thank you, Janne!
We appreciate the opportunity to speak with Janne Ohtonen about his takeaways from this assignment at Gasum and wish him well in all future endeavors.
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