Katja Soini is the Alumna of the Year of the School of Arts, Design and Architecture

Can you tell us about your current job – how does design play a role in it?

‘In my current role, I am very much in touch with the future. Although there is no word design or designer in my Chief Growth Officer title, it is one example of how design has found its way into the core of business. My role is not focused on developing a single product or service, but on using design methods and approaches to create the structures and conditions in an organisation to enable growth.

There has long been talk of bringing design and designers into the top management of companies and growth companies, and now this turnaround has really happened. Personally, I see design maturing as a management approach as valuable as, for example, commercial know-how, i.e. design thinking and methods are being used to manage organisations.’

Where do you want to make a difference through your work?

‘I want to strengthen the implementation of two themes that are particularly important to me – people-centredness and sustainability – in society. My background is in user-inspired and co-design, i.e. empathic understanding of the user's perspective. I help to bring a human perspective to all aspects of business operations and development.

In my twenty years in real estate and construction, I have been able to bring these themes into service design and strategic development of the built environment. In my current role, at the consultancy company Innolink, I bring a human-centred approach to management in all possible fields.

I see human-centredness as the key to achieving what the UN definition of sustainable development calls for: ecological, social and economic sustainability. It allows us to get people and organisations to act differently, towards a sustainable future. This is also the goal I am promoting in Ornamo. It means that we designers as a profession take our own responsibility – after all, we have an early influence on what products, services and systems are produced and how sustainable they become.’

How do you see the future of design?

‘I refer again to my current role and position, to the fact that we designers are now increasingly in positions of influence in the business world: we and our methods are recognised as a key way to lead companies and businesses. I am proud and delighted that a person with a design background can nowadays also be a Chief Growth Officer.

The City of Helsinki, Senate Properties and already many other public organisations now have a number of design professionals working as sustainability or energy experts, for example. This shows the diversity of what our generalist skills and approach can provide. We are needed in this day and age.’

What does the Alumna of the Year Award mean to you?

‘I was overwhelmed when my "academic father", Professor, Vice Dean Turkka Keinonen called about the recognition. I started my Master's degree under his guidance and he was also the supervisor of my doctoral thesis. This recognition makes me both happy and grateful. I am truly grateful for the education I have received at the University of Art and Design Helsinki and later at Aalto University, which has helped me to build my own personal identity as a designer. It has enabled me to do what I think is right and in line with my values, and to contribute to the wider world. This wonderful recognition is an asset – it gives me more strength to do these interesting things.’ 

The Alumna of the Year Award was announced at the Annual Review of the School of Arts, Design and Architecture 8 March, 2023 in Dipoli, Espoo.