Media center

Mikko Kärkkäinen

Co-Founder & Group Chief Executive Officer

RELEX Group CEO Mikko Kärkkäinen was the driving force behind the company’s inception in 2005. He met his co-founders Johanna and Michael at Helsinki University of Technology, where he earned a Masters, then a PhD in supply chain management.

His early research was on warehouse processes and logistics for e-commerce, but later work focused on the application of technology to supply chain improvement. Today, Mikko continues to make valuable contributions to the supply chain conversation from the private sector, having authored over thirty papers and presentations on logistics and supply chain issues.

Johanna Småros

Co-Founder

As a researcher, Johanna conducted ground-breaking work in collaborative planning and forecasting between retailers and suppliers, sharing and utilization of point of sale (POS) data in supply chains and automatic store ordering. Her work has driven RELEX’s development since the beginning, and in fact, she coded the first seed of the simulation that evolved into the forecasting and replenishment software herself.

An advocate for technology innovation that pragmatically solves retail challenges, Johanna remains actively involved in RELEX’s research and development.

Tommi Ylinen

Chief Product Officer

Tommi Ylinen is a highly accomplished and growth-focused Chief Product Officer. He is driven by a constant desire to learn and improve and has played a pivotal role in the growth and success of RELEX, helping the company evolve from a small start-up to a leading global software company with a strong culture, exceptional talent, and hundreds of happy and thriving customers.

Tommi has been instrumental in developing innovative and state-of-the-art technology and products that have helped RELEX stay ahead of the curve in a highly competitive industry. With his extensive experience and expertise in product and growth-focused leadership, Tommi is a true visionary and a natural leader who inspires and motivates his team to achieve their full potential and drive success. 

Tuomo Pesonen

Chief Operating Officer

Tuomo Pesonen is the Chief Operating Officer at RELEX Solutions, a position he has held since joining the company as employee number 16 in August 2010. With a Master of Science (Tech) degree in Industrial Engineering and Management from Aalto University in Helsinki, Finland, Tuomo has extensive experience in enterprise software, SaaS, general management, professional services, customer success, retail, and supply chain management.

Tuomo oversees RELEX Professional Services, Customer Success, and SaaS Service Delivery functions, leading a team of 700 delivery professionals in 20 sites worldwide. Tuomo is committed to ensuring that RELEX customers receive the highest level of service and support, and he is dedicated to driving the company’s continued growth and success. 

Ville Hämäläinen

Chief Technology Officer

Ville Hämäläinen is the Chief Technology Officer, where he leads the technological vision of RELEX. Ville oversees a team of hundreds of skilled experts, across multiple sites and continents, to make the vision reality. 

With a strong background in technology and innovation, and a master’s degree in computer science, Ville has a proven track record of driving growth and success in the organizations he has led. He is a strategic thinker with a deep understanding of the technology industry and a passion for developing cutting-edge products and solutions. He is a natural leader, with a talent for building high-performing teams and driving results through effective communication and collaboration.  

Throughout his career, Ville has been recognized for his contributions to the industry, earning numerous awards and accolades for his work in product development and innovation. He has extensive experience in managing mergers and acquisitions, improving R&D processes and program management, as well as managing development partners and patents. He is a respected thought leader in the technology space, and a sought-after speaker and advisor on topics related to product development, technology strategy, and innovation. 

Frank Lord

Chief Revenue Officer

Frank Lord is our Chief Revenue Officer with a passion for helping retailers transform and evolve. With over 20 years of leadership in retail software sales and global market experience, especially in the North American and EMEA markets, Frank is responsible for overseeing global sales processes and bringing market approaches into alignment to drive growth.  

Frank recognizes the importance of meeting and exceeding customer expectations through inventory availability, customer experience, store experience, advanced design, and efficiency. He believes that nimbleness, adaptability, and speed to market are key, coupled with scalability in terms of being able to analyze and make decisions around terabytes of disconnected data. 

Frank has a successful background in building and accelerating sales strategies and breaking into new markets. He focuses on setting the vision, driving the pace, and accelerating revenue growth of software and SaaS solutions to retailers. Frank believes in strong partner alliances and sales channels, and understands how impactful these relationships are to a business.  

Johan Haataja

Chief Financial Officer

Johan Haataja is the Chief Financial Officer at RELEX Solutions with over 20 years of experience in finance and accounting. Prior to joining RELEX, Johan served as CFO at several companies in the technology and software industries.

Johan holds a Master of Science degree in Industrial Engineering and Management, Strategic Management, Media Technology from Aalto University School of Science and Technology. He is a member of the Finnish Association of Financial Executives and the Finnish Institute of Authorized Public Accountants. 

As CFO at RELEX, Johan is responsible for overseeing the company’s financial operations, including financial planning and analysis, accounting, tax, and treasury. He is also involved in strategic planning and decision-making, working closely with the executive team to drive growth and profitability for the company. During his tenure, RELEX has collaborated with and raised funding from some of the leading global private equity investors including Blackstone, TCV and Summit Partners.  

Stefano Scandelli

Consumer Packaged Goods & Manufacturing Managing Director, Senior VP Retail EMEA & APAC

Stefano Scandelli is a highly experienced retail and supply chain planning sales executive, currently serving as the Consumer Packaged Goods & Manufacturing Managing Director and Senior Vice President Retail for EMEA & APAC. Stefano has over 25 years of experience optimizing retail, wholesale, and manufacturing supply chain processes, and has worked with companies across EMEA, APAC and LATAM. 

Stefano joined RELEX in mid-2018 as Senior Vice President of Sales for EMEA and APAC, where he successfully built the EMEA sales organization, launched the APAC sales organization, and developed several supply chain transformation programs with many retailers globally. Stefano also supports the continued development and innovation of planning, optimization, and production scheduling capabilities within the RELEX Solution AI/ML platform.  

He holds a mechanical engineering degree from the Politecnico of Milan and an MBA from INSEAD. He is a frequent speaker at industry events and is widely recognized as a thought leader in supply chain management.  

Carlos Victoria

Senior Vice President Sales

Carlos Victoria currently serves as the Senior Vice President for the Americas at RELEX Solutions. With over 25 years of experience in Fortune 500 companies, Carlos has proven expertise with enterprise software companies, particularly in the areas of omnichannel retail, consumer goods, distribution, and supply chain related industries.

Carlos has extensive experience developing new markets and growing current ones in highly complex multi-cultural environments. Carlos is an expert in general management, strategic planning, sales, business development, business process improvement, finance, marketing, mergers and acquisitions, and new ventures. He is a recognized leader and technology evangelist in the sector.  

Carlos is fluent in English and Spanish and proficient in Portuguese.

Tiia Rapeli

Chief People Officer

Tiia Rapeli is the Chief People Officer at RELEX Solutions with over 10 years of experience working in the People area of the technology industry. Prior to joining RELEX, Tiia worked in various key HR roles across different companies ranging from international technology companies, the game industry and IT consultancies, to university and public sector organizations.

Tiia holds a Master of Science degree in International Employment Relations & Human Resource Management from the London School of Economics, as well as a Bachelor of Social Sciences from the University of Helsinki. 

As Chief People Officer at RELEX, Tiia is responsible for a wide range of people-driven processes, initiatives and focus areas, including leadership development, employee engagement, employer relations, operational HR, talent acquisition, and employer branding. Guided by the company’s values of “Customer is a Friend,” “Colleague is a Friend,” “Provide Measurable Value,” “Stop Stupid Things,” and “Life is Supposed to Be Fun,” Tiia is dedicated to creating a positive and productive work environment for all RELEXians. Her vision is to increase resiliency and efficiency in the consumer goods value chain by leveraging the best people and smartest solutions at RELEX Solutions. 

Mette Krogh

Chief Marketing Officer

As Chief Marketing Officer, Mette Krogh is a member of the RELEX leadership team. Mette leverages her expertise and experience in communications, PR, lead-generation, ABM, analyst relations, and alliance & channel marketing to build strong teams that consistently deliver world-class results.  

As a marketing leader, Mette is passionate about delivering ABM and integrated lead generation campaigns with high ROI. She has a keen eye for detail and a strategic mindset that enables her to develop and execute effective marketing strategies that drive business growth.  

Mette enjoys working with talented individuals across the world to create high-performing culture.  

Ron Fleischer

Senior Vice President Operations, Americas  

Ron Fleischer is the Senior Vice President Operations, Americas at RELEX where he and his team ensure the highest levels of satisfaction across North and South America. Ron leverages his extensive experience in the areas of retail strategy and business transformation to assist our customers in achieving the highest levels of value from their RELEX solutions. He is an engaging executive with exceptional interpersonal skills and a rare ability to convey complex concepts in understandable terms.

Ron has a passion for all things retail, a resilient work ethic, and a dynamic leadership style, all of which he has leveraged in delivering numerous retail strategies and transformations. With his expertise and experience, Ron is a valuable asset to the RELEX team and a trusted partner to the company’s clients. 

Svante Göthe

Head of Sustainability

Svante Göthe holds an M.Sc. (tech) in Industrial Engineering and Management. He has over 12 years of experience working with numerous retailers to optimise their supply chains. As Head of Sustainability for RELEX Solutions, his primary focus is finding new ways to increase their positive environmental impacts and drive sustainable business practices now and in the future.

Tommi Vilkamo

Director, RELEX Labs

Tommi Vilkamo is responsible for data & AI at RELEX. He leads RELEX Labs–the centralized R&D department that consists of data scientists, machine learning engineers, and data analysts. Their joint mission is to make RELEX products work intelligently for our customers.

Tommi has over 20 years of experience in applying data, analytics and, increasingly, AI in business. He has worked in a wide range of roles at Microsoft, Nokia, Fellowmind, a management consultancy company, and at Noona Healthcare, a digital cancer-care startup. He knows his way around data science, appreciates engineering excellence, and loves working around smart people. Tommi holds a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering and Management from the Helsinki University of Technology, and graduated with honors. He lives in Finland together with his wife, kids, and dog, Ziggy Stardust.

Aki Elovehmas

Lead Data Scientist

Aki Elovehmas is leading research into forecasting and supply chain at RELEX. He and the team are focused on perfecting the consumer goods value chain by inventing new solutions for RELEX products. During his 7+ years time at RELEX, Aki has gained wide experience of topics such as forecasting, inventory control, markdown, delivery flow and space optimization. Aki holds a Master of Science in Automation and Systems Technology. In addition to consumer goods value chain optimization, Aki enjoys making music and swimming in cold water.

Emmanuel Raj

Lead Machine Learning Engineer

Emmanuel Raj is a Lead Machine Learning Engineer and team lead responsible for the AI Platform and MLOps at RELEX. He leads a team of Machine Learning Engineers on a mission to build a world-class production-grade AI platform that enables intelligent solutions for our customers. Emmanuel has a decade of experience in cutting-edge engineering solutions using AI and Machine Learning across multi-domains such as Healthcare, Manufacturing, Finance, Retail, e-commerce, and aviation.