Post by Wärtsilä

𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 Nea Kurkinen, Senior Manager for Strategic Sourcing at Wärtsilä, leads a global team in battery energy sourcing. What motivates her most is the blend of strategy, technology, and people — working with global experts and collaborating across regions to drive progress.   She stepped into this role inspired by the people around her and the opportunity to grow in a fast-moving, problem‑solving environment. And while many think sourcing is just about price, Nea emphasises its strategic nature: building long‑term partnerships, enabling technology development, and navigating complex conditions. Working in a traditionally male‑dominated industry, Nea often finds herself as the only woman in the room. She brings strong preparation, data‑driven clarity, and consistent delivery to her work — an approach that has built trust and credibility over time while also mentoring others.   Through recent years of global uncertainty, what’s mattered most is the people: collaborators who support each other, stay aligned, and push forward together. “Knowing you’re not facing challenges alone makes all the difference,” she says. Nea's advice for girls and women exploring similar careers: “Be proactive, stay curious, and trust yourself. While the world moves fast and often rewards immediacy, real growth comes from patience and persistence — focus on the long‑term journey as the best opportunities are often still ahead of you." 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯’𝘴 𝘋𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘞ä𝘳𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘭ä’𝘴 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮. Photo credit: Minna Penkkimäki #GiveToGain #IWD2026 #FuelYourPower