Ari Tolonen (56) has been appointed CEO of OptiWatti Ltd. beginning 1 April 2018. OptiWatti offers smart energy management and optimization for home and real estate.
Mr. Tolonen joins OptiWatti from Landis+Gyr Oy, where he has served as CEO of the Finnish operations and later of the Nordic operations since 2008. Landis+Gyr is the world's leading supplier of integrated energy management systems such as electricity meters and remote reading solutions.
Ari Tolonen also has solid experience in ICT leadership positions. Mr. Tolonen served as CEO of the software company InfoBuild Oy between 2006 and 2008. In 2002-2006, Mr. Tolonen served as CEO of the telecommunications operator DNA Finland Oy for four years.
New technologies developed by growth companies play an important role in the energy sector. The industry is revolutionizing digitization, CO2 emission savings, renewable energies, international competition and the increasingly active role of consumers as energy producers.
"I see a lot of similarity in the transformation of the energy sector that I was implementing in the telecommunications sector. I have followed OptiWatti Ltd's growth path from up close since it was founded and I'm convinced of its potential for growth. The team is also impressive - there is a lot of experience and professionalism. I feel that this is a unique opportunity to bring Finnish cleantech expertise to the world. At the same time we are changing the energy sector by introducing new services and technology to meet the needs of both consumers and businesses. The goal is to make OptiWatti a major player in the energy sector," says Ari Tolonen.
The company's current CEO and co-founder Juha Marjeta will focus on OptiWatti's strategic development and product leadership in the future. Through this arrangement, the company is accelerating international growth and further development of the service.
"Conquering markets requires extensive and diverse know-how in corporate governance, creating new businesses, the energy sector and consumer branding and Ari has over 30 years of experience in these areas. I trust his ability to lead the company to achieve high growth targets. Ari will also bring extra strength to international growth as we prepare for the next big leap", says Juha Marjeta.
OptiWatti Ltd.'s incredible growth story
Juha Marjeta and Jyri Seppä founded OptiWatti Ltd. in 2013. The business idea was born of Juha Marjeta's own need to control his home heating. After many experiments, OptiWatti, which makes it possible to optimize room-specific heating easily and intelligently, was born.
In 2016, OptiWatti Ltd. won the growth company competition Kasvu Open in the Startup class, after which the company raised a million euros in funding. The investments made by Taaleri Kiertotalous Ky and Butterfly Ventures have supported the company in strong growth. The service has been well received in the market.
For more information:
Juha Marjeta, Chief Product Officer, OptiWatti Ltd., tel. +358 44 044 2000
Ari Tolonen, CEO from 1.4.2018, OptiWatti Ltd., tel. +358 44 044 1001
OptiWatti offers smart energy management and optimization for home and real estate. OptiWatti Ltd. was founded in 2013 and currently employs 24 people. The main shareholders of the company are senior management, Taaleri Kiertotalous Ky and Butterfly Ventures Oy. In 2016, OptiWatti Ltd. won the growth company competition Kasvu Open in the Startup class. The company's customer base consists of consumers and owners of large real estate. OptiWatti offers its customers up to 40% savings on heating costs, better living comfort and easier real estate management. www.optiwatti.fi
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