New Reinforcement in the North – Petri Määttä Brings Solid Experience and Strategic Vision
You may encounter a new Norex team member in the Northern Finland region, as Petri Määttä has started as the area’s Key Account Manager.
Petri’s area of responsibility is vast—stretching from Eastern Finland all the way to the landscapes of Kilpisjärvi. He laughs at the sheer scale of his territory: “To me, the drive between Oulu and Helsinki feels almost like a light day trip compared to the distances we actually cover here. Just today, I’m driving 400 km into Lapland to meet a client.”
A Man of the North with Restaurant Industry Roots Firmly in Oulu
Petri is a true son of the north from Pello, north of the Arctic Circle. As a young man, his path first led through Tornio to Vaasa to study hospitality and restaurant management, after which he ended up in Oulu – a city where he built a long and distinguished career in the restaurant industry.
“Thirty years flew by in the bars and restaurants of downtown Oulu. Especially from the late 90s to the early 2010s, it was a fantastic time. IT companies, following in Nokia’s wake, used restaurant services extensively. It provided a lot of room for creativity and gave me the tools for continuous development,” Petri recalls with a smile.
Petri also has awards to his name, including the prestigious Pro Award in the restaurant industry, which he received in 2020 in the bartender category.
Facing Something New – Norex Came Along at Just the Right Time
Although Petri enjoyed working in the restaurant industry, sometimes you have to seize something new when the opportunity arises. He became enthusiastic about studying service business development at Laurea University of Applied Sciences in Espoo, and later his studies took him to the University of Lapland to study tourism research. Even at this stage, leaving the restaurant industry wasn’t on his mind.
“I’ve always been curious and eager to learn new things. During the pandemic, I started thinking that systematic self-development is my thing, just as it always had been. When I saw Norex’s job advertisement, I thought after much consideration, why not—even though I’d always joked that I’d never become an alcohol sales rep. But look how things turned out!” Petri says with a laugh. Norex was a familiar company from a customer’s perspective, and the predecessors in the role he applied for had been known to him for 30 years.
The job application happened spontaneously in the very last minutes of the application period, and to Petri’s pleasant surprise, Norex was excited about him specifically.
“If I had known how fun and interesting this job is, I might have considered switching from the role of a buyer to a seller even sooner. This has been a truly positive surprise in every way. On the other hand, I’m happy that I never got tired of restaurant work and was able to evolve my role across different eras.”
Customer-Focused Development Work in Lapland
In his new role, Petri sees an opportunity to leverage his extensive experience in developing client businesses as well, not just in selling products. It’s important to him to genuinely provide added value to the customer:
“I don’t want to be just a product seller, but to bring added value to both the customer and the employer. What’s essential is to be useful to everyone and understand the customer’s needs as well as the industry’s special characteristics.
According to Petri, Norex’s strength in the north is precisely its local presence, which sets it apart from many competitors.
Although Petri’s work involves many solitary kilometers on the road, collaboration with colleagues doesn’t suffer at all from the long distances.
“Fortunately, we have a great team spirit and digital tools. We are constantly in touch via Teams, and of course, we see each other face-to-face every now and then—next, we’ll be meeting on a sales team trip to Lisbon,” Petri says, continuing to praise how colleagues at Norex genuinely help one another. “No one just stares at their own performance; we’re all truly in the same boat. It’s been really great to see that.”
Strategic Thinking with a Good Vibe
Norex’s way of working also appeals to Petri because the company’s operating methods are as carefully considered as those of much larger firms. “I’m fascinated by the idea that as a small player, we can do things with the same quality as the big ones. It motivates me every day to learn more and move things forward. I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be right now. And I look forward to doing and learning more together with my customers and new colleagues.”
Welcome to our team, Petri!
