Alum of the Year is technology and family business entrepreneur, educational scientist Marjo Miettinen

The recipients of Tampere University’s Alum of the Year award represent the expertise produced by the university and contribute to showcasing the university's impact and the important role of university alums to society. The criteria for the recipients include pioneering work in their fields, societal impact and the promotion of interaction between the university, society and alums. From 2022 onwards, the nomination process has also included a public campaign through which candidate proposals have been sought from the university’s stakeholders, such as staff.

Marjo Miettinen’s nomination as Alum of the Year 2026 recognises her diverse and far-reaching contributions to promoting Finnish technology companies, business, and education. Miettinen holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Education degree from Tampere University and has served in several positions of trust and board memberships since 2004. At Ensto Ltd, she supports the goals of the nearly 70‑year‑old family business: driving the green transition, improving the safety and reliability of electricity networks, and mitigating the effects of extreme weather conditions – enabling a better life with electricity.

“Marjo Miettinen exemplifies how expertise in educational science can foster strong human resource management and a successful family business even on an international scale. She brings together people development, long-term ownership, and the capacity for renewal in a way that is reflected both in success within the technology industry and in broader societal impact. This is precisely the kind of influence our university’s education can achieve at its best,” says President Keijo Hämäläinen.

Educational science provided a lifelong foundation for leadership

Since 1989, Marjo Miettinen has worked at Ensto Ltd, the family-owned electrical technology company founded by her father. She has served as the company’s Chair of the Board since 2016. Miettinen is also a board member and owner of another family business, EM Group Ltd, which operates in the real estate, industrial components, and motorboat sectors. Before embarking on her business career, she spent a decade working as a primary school teacher in Sweden and Finland.

Miettinen has been an active board member in several organisations, including Technology Academy Finland, TT Foundation, Finnish Business and Policy Forum EVA, ETLA Economic Research, and European Family Businesses. She was also a long-standing board member of Technology Industries of Finland and served as its Chair from 2019 to 2021.

Miettinen says that her studies in educational science and her years as a primary school teacher laid a lifelong foundation for leadership and continuous learning. She notes that many people she has met in business and organisational work have been surprised to learn that her background is in education.

“Working as a primary school teacher was my leadership training. The only difference between leading children and leading adults is that the feedback you get from children is so honest and direct. My father’s wise advice has also proved valuable: surround yourself with people who have the skills you lack,” Miettinen says.

Over the course of its nearly 70-year history, the family business has weathered major shifts in its operating environment. Just a few decades ago, electricity faced intense public scrutiny, and heavy taxation on it was actively promoted. Today, however, electricity is recognised as a key tool in efforts to curb climate change.

“The world changes in many ways. In business, change now happens so quickly that the education system simply cannot keep up. Comprehensive education nevertheless remains crucial: everyone must be able to read, write, and do basic maths. Higher education can better respond to business needs, for example, through broader degree structures and module-based studies,” Miettinen notes.

Her nomination as Tampere University’s Alum of the Year came as a pleasant surprise.

“I am truly honoured by this nomination, as Tampere University holds a special place in my heart. I am also delighted that the choice fell specifically on an educational scientist. Our field has much to offer other disciplines. Innovations often emerge at the intersections of different fields,” Miettinen says.