“If you want to predict the future, the best way is to create it.”
About me
My name is Katja Mäkelä. I’m a Partner at BearingPoint in Helsinki. I work with clients in the financial services industry in Finland and across the Nordic countries.
I have two core areas of expertise. On one hand, my focus is on risk management, particularly financial crime prevention. On the other hand, I work with banking products and services from a consulting perspective: cards, payments, lending, and related solutions. As a Partner, I am responsible for the business success of the area I lead.
Joining BearingPoint
My relationship with BearingPoint has a long history. In fact, this is the third time I am working for the company. I first started working here in the late 1990s when BearingPoint was still KPMG Consulting. After a few years, I left to see the other side of the industry and joined Nokia.
I returned to consulting for few years but then decided to join Nordea during an exciting period when four Nordic banks had just merged. Then, six and a half years ago, I returned once again to BearingPoint, bringing with me experience from both consulting and industry.
Katja Mäkelä, Partner, BearingPoint
My tech career was not straightforward
Technology was not part of my original plan. In high school, my two favourite subjects were history and mathematics. I was among the strongest students in math, and I initially went to university to study math.
At university, while studying mathematics, I met people with extraordinary talent who seemed to grasp complex concepts instantly. I realized that reaching that same level would require enormous effort. That moment wasn’t discouraging; it was clarifying. It made me reflect on where my real strengths were.
I discovered that my advantage wasn’t in mastering one highly theoretical field, but in connecting different disciplines: analytical thinking, languages, history, and structured problem-solving. That realization led me to business administration and economics, and eventually to the intersection of technology and business, a place where I found both challenge and energy.
The Skills That Matter Most
When I reflect on the skills that matter most in my role, a few stand out. The first is the ability to see the bigger picture. I have the ability to understand the entire system: strategy, operating model, organization, technology, and processes.
Second, having a builder’s mindset has helped me greatly. I enjoy creating things, either building teams, developing services, shaping new offerings, or exploring opportunities that did not exist before.
Another important skill is staying calm under pressure. Consulting environments can be intense, client projects move quickly, deadlines are tight, and situations can change rapidly. In environments where change is constant and pressure is high, that calmness often becomes a strength.
How I Approach Challenges
When facing a challenge, my first instinct is always the same: understand the root cause. It sounds simple, but in practice, it requires stepping back and asking the right questions: What is actually causing the problem? What factors are contributing to it? Is it one issue, or several?
Very often, the visible problem is only a symptom. Once you understand the root causes, the solutions usually become much clearer.
The Power of Teams in Solving Problems
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned throughout my career is that no leader solves complex problems alone. In fact, I have always worked in teams where the people around me were much smarter than I was in their specific areas of expertise. Because of that, I have never seen my role as the person with all the answers. Instead, I see my role as an orchestrator and enabler.
AI: Opportunity and Uncertainty
AI brings enormous opportunities, particularly in automating high-volume, data-driven processes. At the same time, it also introduces new risks, especially because governance and risk management frameworks are still catching up with the pace of technological development. That is why my perspective on AI often balances optimism and caution.
On one hand, AI could remove repetitive tasks and allow professionals to focus on more meaningful and strategic work. On the other hand, I believe we are only beginning to understand how far this transformation may go.
AI will significantly transform the consulting industry. It is already changing how consulting firms work, create value, and support their clients, placing the industry in the middle of a major transformation.
Finding Balance Outside of Work
As a single mother of three and a Partner in a consulting company, free time is naturally limited, so the moments outside of work become especially valuable.
One of the ways I unwind is through gardening. I also enjoy home projects, such as renovating or painting. I’ve always had a “builder’s mindset,” so I naturally enjoy improving things and creating change, even at home.
Cooking and baking are other ways I disconnect from work and focus on something tangible and relaxing. Shakta yoga has also been important for managing stress and maintaining mental balance.
The Importance of Role Models
For women working in technology, role models can make a real difference. In my own journey, I had the opportunity to work with a few strong female leaders who were competent, confident, and unapologetic about their leadership, and seeing that example mattered.
