Competence Lead Lauri Aarnio at OP Financial Group has an MSc in computer science and a strong background from software development. Much of Lauri's career has involved the development of various services and products.  

I feel like I've actively driven myself to interesting places as I've often ended up developing something new and pioneering," says Lauri, who enjoys experimenting and taking risks. These days, he has moved from creating things to leading people in his new role as Competence Lead of the Development & Technologies organisation's Data Intelligence unit. In his role, Lauri leads the Data Platform and Artificial Intelligence competence area of about 80 specialists. 

"People and their wellbeing and professional development are the most important things in my work," he says. For Lauri, who is a personal trainer outside work, the role comes naturally as he enjoys coaching and enabling others' success. 

"The role of a Competence Lead involves stepping out of the centre of things and taking joy in watching others succeed. I don't have to worry about things like production schedules anymore and can give my full attention to people and to clearing obstacles related to their work.”

Accelerating professional development 

At the core of the role of a Competence Lead is strengthening the professional development of others, which takes many forms from one day to the next. Lauri's responsibilities include supporting team members' competence development and wellbeing at work and managing partnerships. 

"In a nutshell, my most important task is to ensure that we have the right, motivated experts in the right roles," says Lauri. He is also responsible for chapter activities related to competence development, in which experts in a field come together to network and learn from one another. 

According to Lauri, each path to becoming a Competence Lead is unique. "I've found general life experience to be an important asset in this work," he says. "Of course, you also need to be familiar with the subject matter of the field in order to understand the daily routines of the teams and facilitate the work of experts in the best possible way – but you don't have to know everything in order to succeed," he says.   

In the fast-paced work environment, an essential skill is the ability to multitask as the context and duties change from one day to the next. This is precisely why Competence Leads benefit greatly from the ability to prioritise and make sense of the big picture. Equally valuable are good people and communication skills. As one of the most important requirements for the role, Lauri lists the ability to be genuinely interested in how the team is doing.  

"In a large software firm such as OP, new opportunities are constantly coming up. The ability to network makes them easier to identify. Through my networks, I'm able to do even more to help my team fulfil their career dreams."
 
Better customer experience through AI 

What is Lauri personally inspired by the most by one of Finland's largest software firms?  

"At OP, employees get to work on projects that are meaningful at the national level as our work impacts the daily lives of millions of customers," he says. OP Financial Group wants to grow into an agile software firm, and Lauri feels that the company has come a long way towards this goal. "We're not perfect, but we have a strong desire to learn. For example, investments in continuous competence development are visible in all our shared goals." 
 
Lauri's own field of expertise is also transforming fast as huge leaps forward are being taken in nearly every industry in the use of artificial intelligence, for example.  

"We have developed several AI solutions that are actively used by our customers, from a home price appraisal application to financial planning tools. Improving the customer experience with the help of data and AI will continue to be one of the cornerstones of what we do, and it is exciting to consider all the possibilities we don't yet know about," says Lauri. In the same breath, he stresses the responsible use of data and the role of AI as above all a tool that supports humans in their decision-making. 

Lauri believes that because of data and artificial intelligence, the world will look quite different in just a few years. "It's exciting to follow and contribute to this development from a front row seat."