Tomi Hugg has recently been appointed as the new Director of Design Services at Innokas. "The deep technological expertise at Innokas across industries was a major reason for my decision to apply," Tomi says about why he chose Innokas. While Innokas operates across various industries, long experience and core in Healthtech presents a unique opportunity to gain true, hands-on expertise in challenging product development for him. He finds it particularly remarkable that Innokas has both production and development under one roof, which he sees as a unique opportunity and strength. "I am looking forward to seeing how these two areas work together and learning from that collaboration."

Long history in product development

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Tomi has been with Innokas for a few weeks at the time of this article's release. An industry veteran in design engineering, he brings over twenty years of experience in heavy industry from companies of various sizes. This marks Tomi's first venture into a company that also specializes in medical and other safety-critical technologies, and he is eager to take on the challenges that lie ahead. “All the new people and technologies have inspired me to get started,” he shares about this transition. He also notes a strong balance between familiar systems and exciting new opportunities that he is eager to explore.

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“I haven’t experienced too much of a culture shock just yet,” Tomi continues about his future in innovative safety-critical technology specialized company. “The most notable difference in moving into this field is the entirely new world of regulations. Of course, anything made responsibly is subject to regulation, but when it comes to human health and quality of life, the need for precision increases exponentially. There’s very little room for error in the final stages, which makes it all the more important to get everything right at the beginning when defining the project’s direction.”

Connecting with the customer base and sustainable development

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Tomi highlights that he is also looking forward to getting to know Innokas’ customer base, connecting and learning about their ambitions and visions for the future. “Innokas is very in touch with its customer base, so I’m expecting to meet many of them personally very soon.” Tomi has already met many of the fellow Innokas experts. In the header image he can be seen on the left having a break with Senior Mechanics Engineer Mika Henriksson, Innokas CEO Janne Kostamo and Marketing Specialist Teija Tulinen.

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He is also intrigued by the increasing focus on sustainable development. “It’s a new direction for growth, but it’s quickly becoming a way of life, an integral part of how product design is approached. This shift feels more practical and tangible than ever before.” Innokas completed its Circular Design Playbook in 2024, a guide to help product developers advance toward more sustainable smart technology. “This is the first time I truly get to dive deep into it,” he adds.

Outlook for the future

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When asked about his outlook for the future, Tomi shares, “I’m already starting to form a clear picture of the path ahead. The Design Services here at Innokas are already well in order. The enthusiasm comes from the opportunity to take something good and make it even better.”

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Interviewee

Tomi Hugg

Director of Design Services

Tomi.Hugg@Innokas.eu

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