– I was always going to be a surgeon, but my plans changed when a new and exciting subject like computer science came up as an option,” Taina Rämö-Korpinen laughs.

Instead of studying medicine, Rämö-Korpinen went to study computer science at the University of Helsinki. During her studies, she was first introduced to the world of projects. Over the last 30 years, Rämö-Korpinen has had a distinguished career, including management positions in international software houses. She has led many different business units and internal change and development projects within organisations and is not afraid of challenging situations and roles.

– I feel like I’ve been a paramedic, a fireman and a construction foreman in my working life. When something has been ‘burning’, when I’ve had to create or launch something new, or when there’s been a moment of change, I’ve often been called in,” he says.

One of Rämö-Korpinen’s most memorable experiences in project management was when she arrived as a newcomer to an international programme house and successfully managed a major cultural change.

– Three companies had merged, the challenge was the variety and sometimes the lack of different operating models. My task was to bring a new, common project model to the company. The new approach was extended not only to delivery projects but also to internal development projects. It was a big but rewarding task, and the results started to show immediately. One of the benchmarks was to bring the number of complaints in delivery projects to zero, and we achieved that,” says Rämö-Korpinen.

Rämö-Korpinen is currently the CEO of Peili Consulting Oy. In addition to her basic tasks, she does a lot of management development work as a Senior Leadership Coach. She also recently completed the CMC, the International Management Consultant qualification.

– I have always been interested in management, its different challenges, diversity and the possibility of renewal. People are at the heart of it all. It is important to always strive to create the conditions for each individual to flourish in their work, and working together multiplies strength and creates the basis for success. In projects, as in other management work, the focus is all too often on structures such as processes, methods and models. This is necessary, but should not be at the expense of people. At the end of the day, collaboration is the power and magic that determines success,” says Rämö-Korpinen.

Journey to the PRY’s trustee positions

Alongside work, volunteering has been a meaningful part of Rämö-Korpinen’s life. Her journey to PRY and the Board of Directors has taken a few twists and turns.

Rämö-Korpinen worked in Dativo’s project management unit in the early 1990s. His colleagues there were Markku Levonen and Matti Haukka. Around that time, he also became acquainted with Matti Ahvenharju, a long-standing project professional. Both Haukka and Ahvenharju are now honorary members of the PRY. They both have a long history as active members of the PRY and Ahvenharju also on the IPMA side.

Rämö-Korpinen took maternity leave, after which the trio of Levonen, Haukka and Ahvenharju lured her to join the Project Institute. Rämö-Korpinen was already familiar with the work of the PRY’s predecessor, the Projektitoiminta Association. At that time, some of the association’s affairs were handled by the Projekti-instituutti. After a couple of years, Rämö-Korpinen embarked on a long international career and returned to Projekti-Instituutti in 2011 as Managing Director.

– Around that time, Matti Haukka resigned his seat on the PRY board and suggested that I run for the board. I was elected for the first time in 2012 and became the second woman in the history of the PRY Board,” says Rämö-Korpinen.

A long career in government and two presidencies

Rämö-Korpinen served on the PRY Board for more than 13 years, until the end of 2024. In 2016-2017 and 2022-2024, she was Chairman of the Board. In 2015, she also served as acting chair for most of the year. Her work for the development of the association has been meaningful to her.

– The same people are still involved in the association’s activities as when I started. Many of them have also become my friends. Project management brings us all together and creates a strong community. When I go to an association event, I always feel like I’ve come home,” says Rämö-Korpinen.

During her second term, Rämö-Korpinen was involved in the selection of the association’s new CEO, Anna-Maria Mäkelä. Rämö-Korpinen describes working closely with the CEOs during both of her presidencies.

– It has been a pleasure to work with two solid professionals. Timo Saros was the CEO of the PRY during my first term as President, and he was a determined, steady and thoughtful operator. In my second term, I was partnered with the current CEO Anna-Maria Mäkelä, an innovative, fast-moving visionary. She has brought a fresh touch to the association’s image,” he says.

International cooperation plays a major role

Rämö-Korpinen has become familiar with the international environment through both her work and her board work. She currently chairs the Finance Committee of IPMA, the International Project Management Association. Project Professionals is a member association of IPMA.

– The Committee advises the IPMA Board on economic and financial policies, processes and agreements, and actively monitors and makes suggestions on economic developments. In this role, the Committee represents the member countries and its CoD. A sound economy is a prerequisite for the implementation of the Annual Action Plan and the services that IPMA provides to its member countries. Dialogue with the IPMA Board is active. The work is rewarding and a vantage point from which to follow the activities of the international community of the complex,” says Rämö-Korpinen.

In the early days of the Rämö-Korpinen PRY’s government, international cooperation was an integral part of the association’s activities. Many professionals were involved in IPMA activities. When she started her first term as President, the link to the international scene had faded due to the tight economic situation.

– There were a few years when there was hardly any international connection. This affected our activities and our relations with IPMA. Finland needs vision and influences from the world. We need to be actively involved in decision-making and in forums related to the development of certification and other IPMA services, so that we can influence developments and get the latest information to Finland immediately,” says Rämö-Korpinen.

International cooperation and the financial situation of the Finnish association were recovered through determined work, and today PRY is a financially very stable association with active international cooperation.

IPMA has also developed during Rämö-Korpinen’s career and has gained Finnish representation.

– IPMA’s range of services has expanded quite a bit, for example in the area of certificates. IPMA now has more than 70 member countries. I am particularly pleased that there are already several Finns in IPMA’s various working groups, and in very prominent roles.

Progress on equality and respect for professionals

PRY has developed on many fronts during Rämö-Korpinen’s career.

– The number of women in the association has increased significantly. Even on the association’s board, half of the decision-makers are women,” she says. Recognising and valuing diversity is important because it enriches communities and promotes understanding and cooperation between different groups. This too is opening up more and more space for discussion,” says Rämö-Korpinen.

The language of the sector, the use of the right terms and a certain degree of correctness were seen as important, especially in the early days. Rämö-Korpinen says that since then, the project community has adopted a more open mindset. Different perspectives, models and ideologies have more room to coexist. From an external perspective, the role of project professionals has also evolved.

– The recognition and appreciation of the project profession has grown along the way. Of course, there is still work to be done. One reason for the upturn is certainly the activity in certification,” says Rämö-Korpinen.

The future of the project industry

In addition to the association, the work of project professionals is also changing. It is taking new forms, new roles are emerging, and traditional models have been joined by a large number of models that in some ways share a tighter rhythm of thinking. Digitalisation has shaped the way work is done, the sector and the pace of work. On the latest front of change, AI will inevitably play a role in teams and even as colleagues.

– Change and new trends are often seen as a threat, but AI, for example, is also a huge opportunity. Time saved from routine tasks or gained by streamlining work processes makes room for creativity and productive and rewarding human interaction. Future trends have identified the reduction of human interaction as a business risk. And if this trend continues, it will be very worrying for both individuals and communities,” says Rämö-Korpinen.

Rämö-Korpinen says that the challenge for project professionals in the future will also be a shortage of professionals and the ability to keep up with the fast pace of development. Project professionals will be faced with new, sometimes unknown, management situations.

Author: Veera Niemelä, Viestintätoimisto Darling

Taina Rämö-Korpinen is PRY’s tenth honorary member

The Association of Project Professionals invited Taina Rämö-Korpinen to become an honorary member at its spring meeting in April 2025.Taina is a respected project management consultant and trainer who has long done meaningful work for both the association and the project industry.

Taina has been a member of the association for more than 20 years, on the board from 2012 to 2024 and as chairman of the board for more than five of those years. In addition, she has served on several working groups in IPMA and Nordnet, the Nordic Cooperation Group, for many years and has represented the Finnish Association in an exemplary manner.

Taina has also been an active expert and speaker at several of the association’s member events, and has written numerous articles and columns for Projektimaailma magazine.

The Association of Project Professionals rewards its long-standing and active members with honorary membership. Honorary membership is awarded on the proposal of the Association’s Board of Directors at the Association’s autumn or spring meeting. The first Honorary Membership of the Association was awarded to Juhani Silvast.

Author Anna-Maria Mäkelä