The combination of data, service design and technology improves at Digia – Sami Paihonen joins Digia’s Management Team

“Digia is continuing to develop and to implement its growth strategy. We are building smart technological solutions that combine the possibilities of data and the best possible user experience for our customers. Digia’s growth is built on experts and expertise. Sami brings new strengths to Digia’s Management Team, as well as a vision shaped by a wealth of international experience,” says Digia’s President and CEO Timo Levoranta.

“Over the past ten years, Digia has been exceptionally successful at moulding itself into a completely new and capable supplier of digital services. The company has grown into one of the largest IT companies in Finland. I am excited to get the chance to do my part in taking this profitable and growing company to the next level,” Sami Paihonen says.

Accelerating digital services and analytics business activities

Paihonen will be responsible for Digia’s Intelligent Solutions service area, which includes data utilisation and analytics solutions, digital services such as mobile development, e-commerce solutions and other online services, as well as the outsourcing network Digia Hub. His area of responsibilities will also include Digia’s subsidiary Climber, which offers analytics solutions in Finland, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands.

“The area of responsibility I’m taking over is undergoing rapid market changes. When it comes to things like how new technologies will settle into our everyday lives, the only certainty is uncertainty. I have been part of creating new products and solutions that haven’t been seen before. Even the most impressive technology is irrelevant if it doesn’t provide some genuine benefit for people and businesses,” Paihonen says.

According to Paihonen, technological innovations move horizontally from one industry to another.

“For an organisation like Digia that operates in different industries, this is an excellent opportunity to bring together innovations from different industries and out-of-the-box thinking to offer to a large customer base,” he says.

Strong combinations of data, service design and technical implementation

Paihonen says that Digia’s strong partnerships in the technology field give service design a larger framework to function within than frequently seen “surface-level service design” does.

“Most successful service design happens under the surface, and the end user only sees part of it. Of course, the part they do see needs to be stylish, clear, understandable and supremely user-friendly. Data brings things to service design that we’ve only had the opportunity to scratch the surface of. I believe that the combination of data, technical implementation and design will prove central in the future,” Paihonen says.

“I feel privileged to have a chance to get involved in building Digia’s next step and meeting great experts from various fields of competence. I believe that I can add my own spice in the form of internationalisation expertise and network, among other things. It is great to get to work with the entire Digia team!” Paihonen continues.

Further information:

Timo Levoranta
President and CEO, Digia Plc
Tel. +358 40 500 2050

Sami Paihonen
Senior Vice President, Intelligent Solutions, Digia Plc (since 18 October 2021)
Tel. +358 50 502 1111

Sami Paihonen

• Previous roles:
  • 2018–2021 Savox Ventures/Savox Communications, various management positions, most recently Chief Technology Officer
  • 2010–2018 Digitalist Group (formerly Ixonos), various management positions, incl. CEO 2015–2017
  • 2008–2010 Samsung, Head of Design Strategy unit
  • 1998–2008 Nokia, management positions in Design
• Significant international experience related to various roles, including South Korea and North America
• Education: M.Sc. from the University of Oulu
• Born 17 September 1974
• Starts at Digia as head of the Intelligent Solutions service area and member of the Management Team on 18 October 2021