Autumn brings with it changes in personnel and positions at Mylab – Hannu Honkala starts in his role as Vice President, Business Development, and Mikko Sipilä takes over his former position as Vice President, Solutions.

Vice President, Business Development seeks new possibilities for development

Hannu Honkala started at the beginning of September in his role as Mylab’s Vice President, Business Development. His first tasks in this new position will include preparing growth and international business plans for Mylab.

As Vice President, Business Development, Honkala will seek business opportunities both by utilizing the current service and product portfolio and by expanding it in diverse ways.

We want to find new and improved ways to serve our existing customers and naturally also to find new customers and business partners. We will also be looking at international markets, Honkala says.

Hannu Honkala has a long career in product development and product management, for example, at Nokia and Siemens. Honkala started at Mylab in 2014 as Vice President, Engineering and later became Vice President, Solutions.

So far I have always been involved with product development, but now it needs to become a secondary focus for me. This change of emphasis makes my new task really interesting and different from my previous positions, Honkala says.

Working in health care makes a difference to Honkala

It is rewarding to see our solutions in action, especially when you are able to appreciate the role of laboratory tests in various treatment paths. When our customers succeed in their tasks, we have done our job well, Honkala adds.

Hannu Honkala enjoys various leisure activities: orienteering, cycling and photography provide a good balance with work.

The common denominator of all my pastimes is that they take my mind off work. They are the best mindfulness for me, he says.

Mylab’s new Vice President, Solutions, seeks new approaches

Mikko Sipilä, Product Manager, My+® Blood Bank Information Services, took over from Hannu Honkala as Vice President, Solutions, on 1st September 2019. Sipilä has enjoyed a long career heading up the Blood Bank Information Services team at Mylab.

As Vice President, Solutions, my tasks include managing resourcing and operating conditions and continuity of work following Mylab’s line of action. Choosing technology and managing subcontracting are also my responsibilities, Mikko Sipilä says.

Major development projects at Solutions include adding new functionality in the microbiology and pathology modules of My+® and preparing implementation of the My+®care product family as well as further development of the My+® blood centre. In addition, the department is preparing for changes that upcoming vitro diagnostics (IVD) regulations will bring.

Mikko Sipilä starts his new role as Vice President, Solutions, with an open mind

This is an opportunity not to be missed. I thrive in a team environment to develop solutions. I have a lot to learn but I have an open mind and I am ready to face new challenges, Sipilä says.

Sipilä likes to spend his spare time in the forest – orienteering. The Jukola orienteering relay is a major annual event for Finnish orienteering enthusiasts. This year it was particularly special for Mikko, because he was among the organizers of the event that took place in his home town Kangasala. His plans also include returning to his childhood activity of scouting together with his seven-year-old daughter.

Let’s see what my daughter has to say about my plan, but it would be splendid if my daughter would take up scouting and it could become a hobby for us both, Sipilä says.

Leisure activities have a lot in common with working life: In sports you need to make long-term plans about reaching your goals and measure your results. This is also the case in working life.

When you start from a control point, you need to plan how to proceed to the next checkpoint in the selected direction. As you progress, you cannot suddenly change your plan without making errors. Changes need to be carefully planned ahead and made at exactly the right moment, Mikko Sipilä says.

News and blogs