Kipinä gets a new boost - welcome CTO Jari Huilla!
Kipinä Software is growing and evolving, and now our team of top talent is getting a new addition: from the beginning of April, Jari Huilla will start as Kipinä's Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
Jari's unique journey into technology started at the age of 9 with coding and his career took off at the age of 15 at Nokia Research Center. That's more than 20 years later, and it's included entrepreneurship, startups, growth companies, projects from small to large, and roles from coder to executive.
Jari is a familiar face from Vincit, where he worked for 12 years as a project manager, fullstack developer and tech director. He takes away an important insight from his journey:
"Even more important than doing things right is doing the right things."
In technology projects, this means constant prioritisation and value creation, not pursuing perfection for perfection's sake. "As a consultant, you should always think about what features you are building to really get a return on your client's investment. Experienced practitioners in the right places can also challenge the content and ways of doing things."
What is igniting the 'Spark' right now?
"I can't help but mention generative AI," says Jari. What's exciting about the development of technology right now is that we are truly on the verge of a major breakthrough. Jari is following and sparring this change in the daily lives of customers, with Kipilä's experts and at the societal level.
What made you choose Kipinä?
Jari and Kipinä's paths crossed in autumn 2024, when discussions with Laura Riuttanen, a Kipinä friend from the past, deepened about shared values and views.
"Kipinä immediately gave me a feeling of openness and transparency. Few smaller houses have this kind of honesty. Here you can really focus on doing things well without gimmicks. When I decided to join the Kipiné team, I got carried away!"
To the CTO role, Jari brings not only strong technological skills but also a vision of how to develop and share knowledge. "I want to enable experts to take the time to learn new things - not just in speeches, but genuinely in the everyday lives of our experts." In his role, Jari will ensure that Kipinä's team and expertise will gain increasing visibility in the industry and with clients.
Growth that matters
Jari sees the future of Kipinen strongly in the growth of competence and impact: "I want us to get involved in more critical projects - not just to solve technical issues, but also to develop practices and culture with customers."
Experience has taught us that often the problems in software projects are not related to technology, but to project management and understanding business needs. "Kipinä is particularly strong in the competition because we know how to look at the big picture - through Senior Tech Leadership we have the knowledge and, more importantly, the courage to tackle the right things at the right time."
Jari's 3 tips for successful software development
1. Continuously prioritise.
Make sure there is someone on the project at all times who can identify what's next. You can't do everything at once.
2. Know your business needs.
The best technical solutions come from a clear understanding of the customer's business model.
3. Break down silos.
Challenges are often not in the code, but in the structure of the organisation. Collaboration between different teams is key.
Who is Jari as a person?
In his spare time, Jari seeks a counterbalance to technology by making furniture, renovating his home and cottage and spending time with his two young children. If time permits, he can be found on a climbing wall or a frisbee golf course.