Marianne Hautala, a seasoned Product Sales Manager at Wärtsilä, has dedicated over four decades to a career that spans diverse roles, international experiences, and a wealth of personal and professional achievements. A resident of Sulva, a quaint village near Vaasa, Finland, Marianne balances her extensive career with her passions for horseback riding, knitting and paper crafting. Her story is a testament to perseverance, adaptability and a deep commitment to understanding and supporting customers.
Marianne’s career with Wärtsilä began in 1981 when she joined as a Russian language interpreter. Over the years, her roles evolved to encompass a variety of positions, including Project Assistant, Site Office Manager, Spare Part Sales Manager, Area Manager and Technical Sales Support Manager. For the past decade, she has excelled as a Product Sales Manager, bringing expertise and dedication to her role. Marianne’s career reflects her belief in collaboration: “I’ve learned that the most important thing is to find people who can help you. In our big organisation of experts, there is usually somebody who knows your issue.”
Reflecting on how customer relationships and business practices have changed over the years, Marianne highlights the move from hierarchical interactions to a more collaborative approach. While technical requirements and environmental regulations have evolved, one thing remains constant — strong relationships with customers. She stresses the importance of understanding the customer’s perspective, particularly in critical situations like a vessel breakdown, and prioritising actions to deliver value and solutions. Working alongside a skilled team of Area Sales professionals, she thrives on brainstorming and finding innovative answers to customer challenges.
“We should always feel the pain of the guy whose vessel is stopped and prioritise our actions accordingly.”
“The younger generation might find it difficult to understand how the world was functioning in the 80’s and 90’s.” Marianne recalls a time before the internet and modern technology when business travel was an adventure in itself. “We were travelling around the world without mobile phones, laptops, and internet. Credit cards were still to come, and money for the trip was cash and traveler’s checks. You had to solve issues yourself, the main source of information was books, articles, and discussions with people.”
Throughout her career, Marianne has had the opportunity to work in unique locations, each leaving a lasting impression. From a two-year assignment in Vzhevolosk in the early ’90s to seven months in Siberia, where temperatures dropped to minus 35 degrees Celsius, Marianne has faced and overcome countless obstacles. Her move to Service in 1994 introduced her to various roles and regions, including Southeast Asia, South Europe, and East Africa, each with its own cultural nuances. One unforgettable memory involves customer meetings in East Africa, which followed a tropical storm that left her hotel room waterlogged and led to a candlelit dinner with cockroaches scurrying across the table.
Subsequent roles in Trieste, Gothenburg, and finally, a return to Finland in 2013 broadened her expertise. Each chapter brought new challenges, from supporting Sulzer engines in nuclear power plants to working with diverse customers to create tailored solutions. Marianne’s determination and passion for her work have remained evident through it all.
Beyond her professional life, Marianne has a long-standing passion for horses. While working on a diesel engine project in Leningrad, she discovered an equestrian school led by Olympic and World Champion dressage coach, Mr Kizimov. Training under his guidance, Marianne honed her skills and graduated as a certified riding instructor—becoming the first foreigner to achieve this feat at the school.
One of Marianne’s most memorable moments in equestrian sports came when she facilitated the sale of a world-class stallion to Finland’s only Olympic-level dressage rider, Kyra Kyrklund, who competed in 6 Olympics. Reflecting on this, she humorously notes that Wärtsilä indirectly had played a role in Finnish equestrian sports.
For Marianne, her career isn’t just about professional achievements; it’s about the people who make her work meaningful. With warmth and optimism, Marianne’s story inspires those around her to take on challenges, nurture strong relationships, and strive for excellence in every area of life.
