Speakers

Timo Ritonummi

Currently, Mr. Ritonummi is the Deputy Director General in the Energy Department of Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, Finland. Ritonummi is Energy Engineer, having graduated 1990 from the Lappeenranta University of Technology with a M.Sc. in Nuclear Engineering. He has worked for the Energy Department of Ministry since 1996 (Until 2008 Ministry of Trade and Industry). In the Ministry over the years has worked with Electricity Markets, Power Production, Demand Side Management, Security of Supply, Emission Trading, Energy Efficiency, Energy and Climate Strategies and lately with Clean Energy Technologies. He is Finnish representative for the SET Plan Steering Group and Finnish National Contact Point in EU Innovation Fund.

Jukka Ruusunen

Jukka Ruusunen is an Industry Professor at LUT University. He served as the CEO of Fingrid Plc from 2007 to 2023. Prior to his tenure at Fingrid, he worked for ten years as Senior Vice President, Development at Fortum. The first fifteen years of his career were spent at Helsinki University of Technology and Helsinki School of Economics. Jukka Ruusunen holds a Doctor of Science (Technology).

Eeva Lähdesmäki

Eeva Lähdesmäki is a Project Manager and Doctoral Researcher at LUT University. Her work focuses on green electrification, the hydrogen economy, and Power-to-X solutions, with a particular interest in the development of energy transition ecosystems. She has extensive experience in international leadership and business development roles in industry.

Xavier Cipriano

Senior energy and digital engagement innovation professional with over 20 years of experience in energy efficiency, data-driven energy services, and urban energy systems, and energy community projects. Founder and CEO of two scale-up companies specialized in data driven services for user engagement (Beedata), energy management systems (Inergy), with proven leadership in strategy, business development, Community and users engegament, and technology transfer. Strong background as a senior applied researcher at CIMNE research center, in European and national R&D projects, combining scientific excellence with, social and market-oriented innovation. Extensive experience working with public institutions, energy companies, energy communities, and international consortia across Europe and beyond.

Minna Mentzer

Minna Mentzer leads Metsä Group’s biogenic carbon capture development project, focusing on this initiative full-time since the beginning of 2025. Prior to this role, she worked in business development at Neste, focusing on renewable fuels and chemical recycling of plastics. Earlier in her career, she held a range of technical and commercial positions at Borealis. Minna holds a Master of Science degree in Process Engineering from the University of Oulu.

Joonas Mustonen

Joonas Mustonen is a Development Manager at LAB University of Applied Sciences and holds a PhD in Physics. He coordinates laboratory infrastructure supporting research and development and works at the intersection of applied science, industry, and the circular economy. His expertise focuses on the technical and economic boundary conditions of carbon dioxide utilization, particularly matching CO₂ sources with feasible applications and building viable value chains from industrial emissions.

Sari Kola

Doctor of innovation Sari Kola is passionate about ecosystems ecosystems as a driver of growth. As the EnergySampo innovation ecosystem orchestrator, Sari works in close cooperation with partner companies ABB, Danfoss, Hitachi Energy, Wärtsilä, Vaasan Sähkö, VEO and VNT Management to achieve the ecosystem’s shared goals, the development of systemic energy systems and the promotion of their export. Collaboration is also a central theme in Sari’s second doctoral thesis “The Power of We”, published in 2025, as well as in her brand new book “Yhteistyöjohtaminen – kasvun työkalupakki yli toimialarajojen” (“Collaborative Leadership – a Growth Toolkit Across Industry Boundaries”).

Kalevi Mattila

I am Kalevi Mattila, CEO of Haminan Energia Oy. I have had the opportunity to observe and lead the transformation of the energy sector from a front-row seat for quite some time. Before my current role, I worked for five years in the wind power industry, promoting the growth of renewable energy, and for the past decade, I have been steering Haminan Energia toward more sustainable energy solutions. Haminan Energia’s roots go back to 1901, when the first electric lights were lit in our city. We are a small, local energy company that distributes electricity and produces district heating in Hamina. This is made possible by a team of 24 professionals, supported by our owner, CapMan Infra.

I am driven by a desire to turn the green transition from strategy into concrete action. Last year, our work focused on a unique project in which we harnessed excess heat from Google’s data center to cover up to 80% of Hamina’s district heating demand. This project was enabled by a change in ownership and the development resources it brought, as well as significant funding granted by Business Finland. This investment is a key part of our efforts to combat climate change, demonstrating how cutting-edge technology and local energy expertise can together accelerate the energy transition and replace traditional fuels.

Kristjan Mihhels

Kristjan Mihhels is a Senior Analyst at Steady Energy, a Finnish SMR technology company which develops the LDR-50 reactor for district heating. Kristjan has a strong background working in high-technology environments such as space technology in addition to nuclear technology both in business development and sales roles. He honed his analytical skills at EY-Parthenon conducing commercial due diligence projects for multiple Nordic PE funds. At Steady Energy he works both in new market entries and in researching additional use cases besides district heating for the LDR-50.