About me

Senior data strategist

I work as the senior data strategist for 1001 Lakes, a Finnish data economy company specialising in creating trust in data data ecosystems. My work includes a diverse portfolio of client projects with companies and public sector organisations of all sizes and across multiple business verticals as well as large, multinational projects funded by the European Union.

Senior advisor

Since January 2024, I’ve served as a senior advisor for the international nonprofit MyData Global. I’ve been involved with MyData since 2016 and was a member of the core team that founded MyData Global in 2018. I’ve previously held the positions of chair of the board (2022-2023) and deputy general manager at MyData Global.

Doctoral researcher

I’m currently engaged in PhD research at the University of Helsinki faculty of social sciences in the field of practical philosophy. My research focuses on applied ethics and moral philosophy of the digital in general and data and AI in particular. I’m also a visiting researcher at Aalto University school of science, department of computer science.

Ethics

I’ve been interested in ethics from a young age and my undergraduate study of the very first Western ethicists has since inspired and informed my work, academic and professional, in the fields of data and technology.

Moral sensitivity and paying attention to ethical considerations are requirements for each and every technology throughout its lifecycle from idea to implementation and iteration. My expertise is to highlight and frame these aspects in accessible and practically usable ways.

Policy

I work closely with representatives of European Union institutions such as the European Parliament and the European Commission as they develop, debate, and implement digital policy and regulation.

I’ve provided expert testimony to the Parliament’s ITRE committee and provided expert services for the Commissions DGs CNECT, DIGIT, and JRC. I currently serve as a member of DG GROW’s Special Group on data management and sharing in the social economy.

Governance

Governing data, technologies like AI, and collaborations around both, are at the core of much of my work in the different roles I occupy.

I apply methods to integrate business, regulatory, technical, and societal considerations for fair and equitable multilateral governance mechanisms and work with hands-on projects implementing trusted data collaboration that are legal, ethical, and robust in practice.

People & ideas leadership

I’m an experienced people and community leader as well as a frequent expert commentator for various news outlets. I also regularly contribute to research and other publications on cutting edge issues in technology.

At 1001 Lakes, I manage people and projects and participate in the strategic and operational leadership of the organisation. I also contribute to the development of the latest understanding on European data spaces through working groups and publications by IDSA.

In my role of chair of the board at MyData Global, I led a board of nine directors from all around the world and acted as the line manager for the association’s executive director. I also supported the wider leadership team that included the steering committee and the staff.

My work with the World Economic Forum involved leading the work of a diverse community of international experts and my role as deputy general manager of MyData Global involved close collaboration with the general manager in various aspects of leadership of the association.

Strategy & organisation

I’m a seasoned hand at the development and execution of business and impact strategy and the necessary organisational changes that they require.

At 1001 Lakes, I have an active role in the development of business strategy as well as in processes of organisational development as the company is growing.

As part of the core team leading the process to found MyData Global as a registered nonprofit organisation, and in the roles I’ve held since, I’ve been intimately involved with both the details and the big picture of what goes into a well-functioning organisation.

I was involved in the community-driven co-development of the organisation’s business model, membership policies, and bylaws and other governance mechanisms.

I was also involved in the definition and monitoring of strategy for both the short and the long term, recruitments and staff-building and development, building and refinement of administrative and business processes, evaluation and adoption of tools and internal and community procedures.

Communication & sharing

I’m a sought-after public speaker at professional conferences and events as well as an experienced lecturer for academic university courses and seminars for students of various disciplines, including MBA students.

I’ve participated in teaching a number of full seminars for master’s students and I’ve designed and delivered a number of professional trainings or training programmes.

I’m a seasoned writer and editor with experience in solo-authored as well as co- and community authored works.

I currently mentor younger professionals as part of a mentorship programme by All Tech Is Human.

My first language is Finnish and a close second is English. I also have full proficiency in Latin and ancient Greek, in addition to which I can understand and have a simple conversation in Swedish, order a beer in Dutch and German, read some Italian and modern Greek, and tell you I speak a little French in French.

Special advisor

Between 2020-2022, I worked as a special advisor for the city of Helsinki, in Finland, in the area of data policy. I focused on developing internal data policy and especially the operationalisation of data and AI ethics in the city organisation as well as being actively involved in the development of Finnish and EU policy and regulation.

Data policy fellow

Between 2020-2021, I was seconded by the city of Helsinki to the World Economic Forum‘s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) as a data policy fellow. At C4IR, I led a project entitled Empowered Data Societies.

Project manager

When I acted as the project manager for the MyData 2018 conference, hosted by Open Knowledge Finland, I led a multinational, distributed team of seven in the organisation of the conference that welcomed over 800 participants, including over 200 presenters, and dozens of volunteers.

BA, MA in Classics, Cambridge University

My specialisation in my undergraduate degree was ancient philosophy and, specifically, early Greek philosophy (often also referred to as Presocratic philosophy). My thesis supervisor was professor David Sedley and I was awarded a grade of First Class for it.

My studies also included ancient languages and linguistics, history and archaeology, and art and literature.

MPhil in Philosophy, University of Helsinki

My graduate thesis at the University of Helsinki focused on the very first of the early Greek philosophers from the 7th century BCE. My research focused on their use of the word and concept of kosmos in its many senses. I was awarded the grade 5/5.

At the university of Helsinki, I collaborate with a digital humanities research group COMHIS at the University of Helsinki. With them, I’ve published a conference report and a conference poster.

PhD candidate in Philosophy, University of Helsinki

My PhD project tries to answer the question of how exactly is the use (or abuse) of personal data related to people’s ability to lead flourishing lives. I apply Aristotelian virtue ethical frameworks to contemporary debates and developments in data and AI ethics.

I’m also a visiting researcher at Aalto University school of science, department of computer science, where I’m a member of the DCC research group.