Ilkka Pihlainen joins Fimpec to lead projects

M.Sc. (Tech) Ilkka Pihlainen has been appointed as a Project Director at Fimpec, where he will focus on managing large client projects.

Fimpec’s capabilities in handling large-scale projects were further strengthened when Ilkka Pihlainen began his role as Project Director at the beginning of September. Along with his diverse experience, Fimpec also gains additional expertise in areas such as energy technology, bio and other gases, as well as battery materials.

Ilkka Pihlainen graduated as a Master of Science in Energy Technology from the Helsinki University of Technology (now part of Aalto University) in 2007. Prior to that, he earned a Bachelor’s degree in International Business.

With a career spanning over 25 years, Pihlainen has worked at companies such as Lemminkäinen and Wärtsilä in various roles, as a Project Engineer, Project Manager, and Unit Director at Pöyry Group, as a Business Unit Director at FCG, and as a Project Manager at Veolia and at STEP Oy in a Engineering Manager role. He also has experience running his own business offering project management services, as well as consulting and engineering projects. Before joining Fimpec, he worked at Stora Enso as a Project Manager responsible for CAPEX projects related to battery material production.

“Projects have been a central theme throughout my career. I have experience in various roles and stages, from consulting to permitting, design and engineering, implementation, commissioning, and handover. I’ve also become well-acquainted with commonly used models today, such as Owner’s Engineering and EPCM,” Pihlainen explains.

He adds that managing projects is exactly the kind of work he wants to focus on at this stage of his career. According to Pihlainen, Fimpec offers excellent opportunities for this.

“I’m excited about the upcoming tasks. Fimpec is a highly reputable company whose operations and methods I’m already familiar with, and I know that the team here is very skilled, making it great to work together on projects. I believe I can bring strong leadership skills to the projects, along with the ability to respond and solve challenges. I want to get things done, do my job as well as possible, and ensure that the client is satisfied with the outcome.”

Harri Soininen, Business Unit Director at Fimpec, notes that Pihlainen embodies many qualities highly valued at Fimpec.

“Ilkka has solid experience in managing construction projects across various industries, along with deep technical knowledge in several of Fimpec’s focus areas, such as energy technology, new technologies, bio and other gases, battery materials, and biomethanol. Additionally, he is known for being an excellent team player, with a strong ability to collaborate with all stakeholders involved in a project. Ilkka will receive strong support from areas like engineering, where both Engineering Managers and designated Engineering Leads for specific projects play a crucial role.”

“I warmly welcome Ilkka to Fimpec!”