Pekka Metsi named Alumnus of the Year 2020
7.10.2020 – Granlund CEO Pekka Metsi has been named Alumnus of the Year 2020 by the Aalto University School of Engineering. He is the fifth alumnus to receive the honour.
‘Pekka Metsi has worked persistently and extensively to promote development and research in the building services sector. He has years of experience in developing processes and business in both the real estate sector and the construction sector. The Granlund Group, which operates under Metsi’s direction, is a major employer of engineering graduates. Currently, the group employs roughly 300 Master of Science (Tech.) graduates and ten Doctor of Science (Tech.) graduates. Through grants, Granlund has also supported the creation of numerous master’s theses and doctoral dissertations in Aalto University. We also appreciate the contributions of Metsi and experts from Granlund to our research projects and teaching‘, says Dean Gary Marquis of the School of Engineering.
Among other projects, Metsi and Granlund are participants in Building 2030, a joint research initiative between Aalto University and companies from the construction sector. Building 2030 aims to prepare the field for the future changes brought on by digitalisation, rapid urbanisation and climate change – while also ensuring that the construction business remains on solid financial footing.
Pekka Metsi is the third CEO in Granlund’s history. Before assuming the role of CEO in 2010, Metsi had worked at Granlund for many years as a subject-matter expert. He graduated from the mechanical engineering programme of the Helsinki University of Technology with a Master of Science (Tech.) degree on 9 June 1988, specialising in HVAC technology and construction management.
‘Aalto University has a significant role in the development of Finland’s technology sector – and many other sectors as well nowadays. At Granlund, we have always believed that innovation and development activities play a central role in business development as well. Thus, collaboration with Aalto has been a natural choice. In an expert field like ours, competence development continues over an entire career. Our field lacks doctoral graduates, an issue we have also tried to remedy through our joint efforts with Aalto University. One part of the problem is that graduate students from overseas have difficulties finding suitable employment in Finland, resulting in them taking their competence elsewhere – this is another challenge we have been working on. I hope Aalto will continue to host a strong real estate and construction cluster, with building services engineering as part of it. Right now, things look good‘, says Pekka Metsi.
The full interview is available on Aalto University webpages. >
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