CANATU - Key Persons
Ann-Sofi joined Canatu in 2023, bringing with her experience not only in HR but also in sales and marketing. In HR, she has held various roles in different industries, with a particular passion for growth companies. She holds long experience in the finance sector, having worked at companies such as Taaleri Plc, Aktia Bank Plc, and Sambla Group Oy.
Throughout her HR career, Ann-Sofi has focused on leadership and cultural development. She believes that the quality of employee experience and customer experience are closely intertwined. When a corporate culture builds on understanding and motivating its employees, it will reflect positively on customers as well.
Ann-Sofi holds an MSc in Economics & Business Administration from the Helsinki School of Economics and has been a member of the Canatu leadership team since 2023.
Antti has over 10 years of experience in quality assurance and control within the automotive, electronics manufacturing and nuclear industries. Before his current role as VP, Manufacturing, Antti was the Quality Director of Canatu. Under this role, he was responsible for ensuring that CNB products and production processes met customer requirements, and that the Canatu QMS (Quality Management System) and EMS (Environmental Management System) were compliant with the industry standards.
Prior to joining Canatu, Antti has held roles at Murata Electronics, Vaisala and Fennovoima. He holds an MSc degree in Semiconductors and Materials in Electronics from Helsinki University of Technology (now Aalto University).
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- Chairman of the Board
- Chairman of the Board / USA
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- Board Advisor
- Board Advisor / Israel
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- Board Advisor
- Board Advisor / France
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- Board Advisor
- Board Advisor / Aalto University / Finland
- Board Advisor / Finland
Professor Kauppinen is a global leader in carbon nanotube synthesis and thin film applications, writing over 500 scientific papers. Canatu technology is based on his extensive scientific research. He is a professor in applied physics at Aalto University, Finland and a visiting professor at Nagoya university, Nagoya, Japan. He has held academic positions in the University of Tokyo and Tokyo A&T university in Japan and at SKKU University in Korea.
He is the first Finnish recipient of a UNESCO Nanosciences Medal (2018) and is currently a member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters.
Job Titles:
- CPO, Free - Standing Films
- Engineering and Technology Leader
Heikki Heinaro is an accomplished engineering and technology leader with a proven track record of transforming R&D teams and driving record-breaking results in diverse industries. Before assuming his role as Chief Product Officer for free-standing films at Canatu, Heikki worked as an industry advisor, led Canatu Research and Development, worked as General Manager for Microsoft Hardware & Technology, and as VP of Technology for Nokia Smart Devices. Throughout his career, Heikki has been at the forefront of breakthrough innovations, and his passion to progress continues to inspire and redefine the boundaries of what is achievable in tech industry. Heikki is a versatile leader with strong expertise in leadership, management, talent acquisition, product development, product management, and technology strategy.
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- CTO
- Member of the Leadership Team
Ilkka is the CTO of Canatu and member of the Leadership Team since 2012. He holds extensive experience in taking products from lab to fab. Since joining Canatu in 2009, Ilkka has held multiple roles in both R&D and business development. As CTO, Ilkka is heading Canatu's IP strategy, new business development and research collaboration with academic and industry partners. A big part of his job is assessing emerging new applications for Canatu's material innovation, and to evangelize on its capabilities in addressing the world's greatest challenges on a nano-scale.
Before Canatu, Ilkka held positions at Intune Circuits and Enfucell, gaining versatile experience in flexible electronics. Ilkka holds a MSc degree in printing and converting technologies from Tampere University of Technology.
Ilkka was also awarded ‘CTO of the Year 2019' in Finland.
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- Sales Director, Taiwan / Greater China
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- CEO
- Member of the Management Team
- Investor Contact
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- Chief Product Officer
- Member of the Management Team
- CPO, Conductive Films
Jussi Rahomäki, Chief Product Officer, joined Canatu in 2024 to drive the growth of Canatu's Conductive Films business. Prior to this role, Jussi worked at Dispelix, a cutting-edge photonics company, where he spearheaded technology and business initiatives in the dynamic field of augmented reality. Jussi also has an academic background, having strongly contributed to optics and photonics research. He boasts a record of 14 publications in leading academic journals and holds several patents. Jussi holds a PhD degree from the University of Eastern Finland, with a specialization in Diffractive Optics in Physics, and an EMBA degree from the Henley Business School.
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- Member of the Board
- Board Member / Ascend Capital Partners / Germany
- Board Member / Germany
Jörg has been working for over 25 years in the global automotive industry for companies such as BMW, Ford, Lear and Magna. He has been doing business in China for more than 20 years, which he founded in 2006 his own consulting firm and has lived in Beijing for several years. Since 2011 he is a Partner of Ascend Capital Partners, advising in several M&A projects and has served in companies Ascend has invested as a Board Director until today. He holds a MSc degree in Mechanical Engineering.
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- Media Contact
- VP, Marketing & Communications
Mari holds over 15 years of experience in global B2B technology marketing, communications, and brand building within high tech companies including fast-growing emerging technology scale ups, global corporations and family-owned companies. She has solid experience in establishing marketing function from the ground up, building brands, developing B2B partnerships, and driving demand generation programs to grow sales pipeline.
Previously Mari has led global marketing at Serres and Marioff Corp., a United Technologies company. Mari has an MSc Economics & Business Administration degree from Helsinki School of Economics.
Job Titles:
- Leader
- VP, Supply Chain Management
Markku joined Canatu in 2018. Markku is an experienced leader in the global business environment with a proven track record in commercializing innovative technology over the past 15 years. Prior to joining Canatu, Markku held roles in research, engineering, portfolio-, product-, and category management, as well as sourcing and supply chain functions since 1999 at Nokia, Microsoft Mobile and Teleste Information Solutions. Markku holds a MSc in Graphic Arts Technology from Helsinki University of Technology.
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- VP, Manufacturing Equipment
Risto has over 10 years of experience in the global equipment manufacturing business. He has worked with the most demanding thin film customers in carrying out R&D and high-volume manufacturing. Risto has held multiple different positions involving equipment manufacturing, such as leading a mechanical engineering team and establishing product management functions. Risto brings with him a wealth of expertise in creating partnerships within the supply chain, understanding customer needs and managing product data.
Risto holds an M.Sc Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Aalto University.
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- Member of the Board
- Board Member / Finland
Samuli has over 15 years of experience in the Telecom, Consumer Electronics and Automotive Sector in Technical & Project Sales with Fortune 500 customers. Samuli has previously held various positions in companies such as LiteOn and Mechanics SBG where he contributed in providing design services, components, system level assemblies, as well as turnkey solutions for the world's leading brands in Automotive, Personal Care and Consumer Electronics Segments. Samuli has a proven international track record of generating massive sales with CE and automotive customers, excellent customer relationship skills and extensive knowledge about mechanical solutions. Samuli holds a MSc from the University of Technology, Lappeenranta, Finland.
Taneli has 8 years of academic and industrial experience in carbon nanomaterial fundamentals, application and manufacturing development.
He previously held research positions at Aalto University and Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan, and has a D.Sc. Degree in Micro- and nanosciences from Aalto University.
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- Member of the Board
- Board Member / USA
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- CFO
- Member of the Management Team
Timo joined Canatu in 2017. He has over 20 years of experience in various finance positions both in Finland and abroad, with extensive knowledge in the IT & Telecom sector. Before joining Canatu, Timo was also CFO in software company Futurice Oy. Prior to this, he held various finance management positions in the Telecom field.
Timo hold a MSc degree from University of Tampere and MBA from Helsinki School of Economics.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Board Member / USA