Leading Agileday's Expansion into the UK and Ireland: Interview with Jani Folland

Jani, can you provide a little background about yourself and your journey leading up to your current role at Agileday?

Certainly. My career has spanned over 14 years in international business, with a strong focus on customer experience, digital transformation, professional services sales, go-to-market strategies, software-as-a-service business, as well as leadership. My work has allowed me to collaborate with some of the world’s leading companies like Fjord, Accenture, Epam Systems and Oracle across regions such as the Nordics, UK, Europe, US, and Asia. 

I’m thrilled to leverage my experience to drive Agileday’s global growth. As a proud citizen of both Finland and the United Kingdom, I’m always excited to see Finnish innovations flourish on a global scale. I moved to London 8 years ago and now working with Agileday allows me to combine both cultures and an industry I enjoy.

From your extensive experience, what are the primary challenges you've encountered when it comes to leading and managing professional services operations?

As with many other fields, transparency is one of the most common challenges faced by consultancies. Ensuring that everyone within the organisation understands the goals, projects, and processes is essential. However, my experience shows that as companies grow, silos can form and lead to a lack of collaboration and progress. This can negatively impact the employee experience, which is key in success in this industry. After all, the business is built around the people, their skills, and their thinking. Without a motivating environment for your expert workforce, you risk long-term success.

What was your initial impression of Agileday? What motivated you to join the team?

When I first learned about Agileday, several factors stood out for me. The company's people-first ethos and the human-fit platform itself resonated with my own values. When I learned how the technology works, it struck me as something I wish I had back in my consulting days. It's a solution that genuinely addresses the industry's challenges both for the professionals and for the business.

When I met with Mikko and Jaakko, I was compelled by their enthusiasm and professionalism and we quickly found out that we shared the same ideas and values. Overall, the entire team is so seasoned and talented and their achievements in such a short time speak volumes. Joining Agileday felt like the perfect opportunity to make a real impact and at the same time I get to help build our Finnish success story.

"When I learned how the technology works, it struck me as something I wish I had back in my consulting days. It's a solution that genuinely addresses the industry's challenges both for the professionals and for the business."

How do you believe Agileday can benefit companies in the UK and Ireland market?

I think Agileday is poised to be a game-changer for organisations that prioritise their people and aim to scale their business. The UK market, in particular, is known for its competitive nature, and I think Agileday can set firms apart. Even though the market is tough, I do see high potential for a solution like Agileday. I’m looking forward to all the discussions with local clients. 

Lastly, Jani, what are your main goals or aspirations as you embark on this journey with Agileday?

My primary focus is to scale Agileday internationally and support our clients in the UK and Ireland to see the value of the technology. We are still an unknown player here and I’m eager to change this. I cannot wait to see Agileday in action in the local companies and see the return it brings to our clients. This journey will be a fulfilling one, both for me and for the clients we serve.

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Jani’s wealth of experience and passion for the mission promises a bright future not only for Agileday but also for our clients. If you are leading a professional services firm in the UK or Ireland, make sure to contact Jani today to see Agileday in action:

Jani Folland
Head of International Growth
jani.folland@agileday.io

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