Welcome to Welado, Jyrki! Jyrki Kataja started as Welado’s Business Director for Railway Construction Management in January 2021. Kimmo Saarela, who acts as Jyrki’s mentor, will continue as Welado’s Deputy CEO, leading projects and serving, among other responsibilities, on the railway business management team. The aim is to make the strengths of both experienced professionals available to the railway construction management business and the entire organisation.
Jyrki Kataja is a Master of Science in Technology, born in 1973. He lives with his family in Lempäälä, spends his holidays in Lapland and works at Welado’s Tampere office in Ratina. In his free time, Jyrki enjoys weightlifting, skiing and is an avid sports spectator. Following harness racing in particular gets his heart racing and his blood pressure rising. What else did we learn about this approachable and easily enthusiastic man when we sat him down for a short interview?
Why did you choose Welado?
I already knew many Welado employees, so the transition was fairly easy in that respect. My discussions with Matti and Kimmo gave me the impression that Welado genuinely cares about its employees’ wellbeing. As someone who leads and coaches teams myself, I feel that we share the same values. I also felt that Welado puts a lot of effort into developing and experimenting with new things, which is something that really interests me too.
What are you particularly good at?
I’ve had the opportunity to work in many different roles during my career. I believe that my recent experience with alliance projects means I have something to offer in terms of teamwork, coaching and solution-oriented working methods. My experience with tramway projects may also prove useful to Welado in the future. I’ve previously spent many years working in the railway sector as a Tender Manager, Development Manager and Construction Manager. I also have several years of experience in construction management, including the Kerava urban railway project.
Which projects have you already made your mark on?
Most recently, I was involved in the Tampere Tramway, Raide-Jokeri and Kruunusillat tramway alliances, where I served on their management teams. Some time ago, I also worked as the CEO of Megasiirto Oy. In addition to carrying out dozens of bridge relocations, we built, for example, Tampere’s new Travel Centre tunnel and the Rongankatu tunnel.
What do you consider the most important thing in leadership?
For me, the most important thing is open communication. I believe that open, real-time and even informal communication helps resolve challenges on construction sites before they escalate into major problems. I also believe in the power of positive feedback.
What do you always want to focus on and do well?
In terms of personality types, I’m yellow, meaning I’m talkative, enthusiastic and someone who goes with the feeling. I try to create a relaxed atmosphere around me, which I believe leads to good results and gives people the courage to explore new ideas.
What have been your biggest successes as a leader, supervisor or coach?
Coaching the tender teams of four new alliances to victory. The teams were assembled from the best people at three to five service providers, all with different expertise and working cultures. Through a few months of intensive coaching, we turned a group of individuals into a cohesive band that could improvise and work towards a shared goal.
Another achievement I consider important is having had the opportunity to recruit many young people into the infrastructure sector.