"The Aalto EMBA helped me create a new, best version of myself.”

Mikko Laakkonen has worked as CTO at Cloud2 for just over six years. He enjoys his job immensely.

“We’re expanding and internationalizing fast. Back when I joined Cloud2, I was the ninth employee, and now there are nearly 150 of us. Even though my title is exactly the same as when I started, my work has changed quite a lot,” Laakkonen explains.

“Versatility and leading growth are the very best parts of my job. I began my career as a tech nerd. Technology is still a big part of my work, but my passion has shifted from bits to business: how an organization works, what influences what, what enables growth – and what makes growth as fast and fun as possible.”

With Cloud2’s rapid expansion, Laakkonen decided to apply to an Executive MBA program.

“Years ago, I put my studies on hold when my career took off. An EMBA offered a great opportunity to fast-track: if you have enough experience and a certain position in working life, you can jump straight into demanding leadership studies,” he says.

“For me, an EMBA was the only sensible option. There’s no way I could have handled a traditional university path alongside such a hectic job,” Laakkonen says with a laugh.

I’m tremendously happy with my choice. The Aalto EMBA exceeded my expectations."

Laakkonen looked into several EMBA programs and ultimately chose Aalto EE due to its diverse curriculum.

“What really spoke to me was Aalto’s unique combination of three strengths: design, technology, and business expertise all in one package,” he emphasizes.

“I’m tremendously happy with my choice. The Aalto EMBA exceeded my expectations. It was certainly hard work, but that’s part of the deal. Even though it was demanding, it was also incredibly rewarding.”

Strong expertise and growth as a leader

As CTO of Cloud2, Laakkonen has a lot on his plate. He’s responsible for all of Cloud2’s technologies, plays a key role in internationalization projects, and he also leads Cloud2’s strategic development organization.

“Our goal is to always make our customers’ CFOs smile. Even the most stone-faced finance chief ends up grinning when we deliver solutions that are ten times more efficient at half the cost, and when bold ideas pitched on Monday are already generating revenue by Friday,” Laakkonen says.

“We’re the leading Nordic cloud service company. Our strategy is to grow into the European market leader — and to remain the best workplace for cloud professionals.”

Laakkonen affirms that he now regularly implements insights acquired from the Aalto EMBA program in his daily work.

“I gained strong financial expertise for M&A deals from the Aalto EMBA, valuable leadership insights, and I genuinely grew as a person. That’s something that will be reflected in my daily work and in my personality forever,” he notes.

“The Aalto EMBA helped me create a new, best version of myself. The change is palpable; both my colleagues and our CEO have commented on it. Our CEO used to flinch at the cost of my studies, but he has long since stopped doing that,” Laakkonen mentions.

The Business Strategy Project (BSP) was a particularly valuable experience for Laakkonen.

The instructors were knowledgeable and inspiring, making the studies engaging regardless of the subject matter."

“The BSP was incredibly rewarding, both personally and for our company, as my group carried out the project for Cloud2. We were in the middle of an acquisition, so our BSP group built a cultural due diligence model: a tool to map both our own and the target company’s culture, compare the organizations, and identify factors to focus on during integration,” Laakkonen explains.

“I got fantastic people in my group, and we did an amazing job. I’m certain that I will use the tool we developed in every acquisition I ever participate in. We got the highest grade for the project and presented the results to our EMBA group on the same day the acquisition was announced. The BSP was a home run from start to finish, I couldn’t be happier.”

Inspiring instructors and a brilliant group

Laakkonen has high praise for the Aalto EMBA instructors, particularly Ben Nothnagel, an expert in self-development and self-leadership.

“The instructors were knowledgeable and inspiring, making the studies engaging regardless of the subject matter,” he underlines.

“Each module provided valuable insights, but the Self-development Process led by Ben Nothnagel was a game changer. It gave me so much that it’s hard to put into words,” he reflects.

It was fascinating to experience the cross-pollination of expertise in our group."

Laakkonen explains that the peer support in his EMBA group was remarkable as well, possibly the top takeaway of the entire program.

“We had a marvelous group; everyone was a superstar in their field. I made lifelong friends during the Aalto EMBA,” he says with a smile.

“It was fascinating to experience the cross-pollination of expertise in our group. Even though companies and industries operate in very different ways, some things are exactly the same, whether you work in high tech, the forest industry, or public healthcare,” he points out.

Laakkonen says he’s pleased to endorse the Aalto EMBA program.

“I recommend it 100% – and I’ve already done so. From our company’s perspective, supporting Aalto Executive MBA studies is an excellent retention tool. There’s a top performer on my team with a very similar background to mine: he never got around to graduating from college because his career took center stage. He just got accepted into the Aalto EMBA program,” Laakkonen concludes.

Aalto Executive MBA Program