Minna Pirilä, AFRY
“Each of us has our own path, and it is important not to compare your journey to someone else’s.”
What have you studied and what influenced this choice back in the day?
I studied Chemistry as my major and minored in physics, mathematics, and environmental engineering during my first degree (M.Sc. (Chem.)). I was already drawn to chemistry in high school, but I wanted something tangible and practical, which I found through environmental engineering. For my master’s thesis, I worked at Kemira’s research center in Oulu, where I was later offered a maternity leave substitution as a researcher after graduation. This role led me onto the path of scientific research, and eventually I began my doctoral studies in environmental engineering at the Faculty of Technology at the University of Oulu.
I studied Chemistry as my major and minored in physics, mathematics, and environmental engineering during my first degree (M.Sc. (Chem.)). I was already drawn to chemistry in high school, but I wanted something tangible and practical, which I found through environmental engineering. For my master’s thesis, I worked at Kemira’s research center in Oulu, where I was later offered a maternity leave substitution as a researcher after graduation. This role led me onto the path of scientific research, as the director of Kemira’s research center once told me that a true researcher’s career begins only after completing a doctoral dissertation. This insight gave me the final push to pursue doctoral studies in environmental engineering at the Faculty of Technology at the University of Oulu.
How did you end up being in your current position?
I spent nearly a decade working as a researcher at the University of Oulu (including a few maternity leaves in between). After a year as a postdoctoral researcher, I felt I could contribute to the business sector as well and decided to pursue a consulting career. I joined Ramboll as a circular economy specialist, and after three years, I was headhunted to AFRY as an Account Manager for Industrial Circular Economy. My career at AFRY has been dynamic and full of opportunities to try different roles across various divisions: I have served as a team lead for the circular economy team, held the position of Head of Sustainability Finland, led the Finnish sustainability consulting team within AFRY Management Consulting, and worked as Head of Strategic Business Development for the Water business area. Since the beginning of this year, I have been in my current role as Head of Section, Sustainability Services, in our Environment and Sustainability business unit.
What is the best thing about your job?
The best aspect of my work is that I get to help both companies and the public sector on their sustainability journey while contributing to solving our planet’s global challenges—such as overconsumption, adapting to climate change, enhancing biodiversity, and more—through solutions based on, for example, the circular economy. I also enjoy working across several sectors and with multidisciplinary teams alongside AFRY’s international experts.
What have been the highlights and key lessons of your career?
One of the highlights of my career has been recognizing my own strengths. Even though I hold D.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees, I don’t need to be a “deep-diving expert,” as my strength lies in understanding the big picture. Another key lesson is that there is no need to separate your “work self” from your “personal self”—we are one whole person, and balance in all areas of life is essential. Every experience helps us move forward and grow, both as individuals and as professionals.
What do you expect from the future?
Looking ahead, I am excited about the prospect of taking on interesting new challenges at work and sharing a sense of joy, enthusiasm, and strong team spirit with my colleagues and team members. Last year, I adopted a new motto: “When you get inspired, you succeed.” I realized that enthusiasm is contagious—and it opens the door to achievement. This is something worth remembering.
For whom this is a suitable career option?
The world of consulting welcomes people from all backgrounds and fields of study. In our Environment & Sustainability business unit alone, we have team members with degrees in chemistry, physics, biology, geography, mathematics, civil engineering, environmental engineering, process engineering, mechanical engineering, business, and many other disciplines. Almost any educational background can find a place and make a meaningful contribution here. We need detail-oriented people who like working with Excel, we need sales-oriented experts, and we need nature-oriented specialists, just to mention a few.
What message would you like to send to a young person pondering their career?
Remember, the world is full of opportunities, and doors will open if you have the passion and enthusiasm to walk through them. Each of us has our own path, and it is important not to compare your journey to someone else’s. The path of a consultant is one possibility, and it can lead you toward a diverse range of career options in various sectors. Trust your instincts, follow your interests, and let your curiosity guide you—because your unique journey is what truly matters.