International trade is the North Star of Paula Junnila-Erkintalo’s career

Manager of Global Export and Trade Finance Paula Junnila-Erkintalo has a passion for life, the world, and foreign trade. During her almost 30-year career at Cimcorp, she’s seen company history unfold in real time.

Paula leads the team responsible for Cimcorp’s global project logistics, including everything from shipping arrangements to billing and documentation. Export coordinators play an important part in seeing successful projects through, and Paula has demonstrated her expertise and determination in, for example, complicated letter of credit negotiations.

Paula became interested in international trade at a young age – a surprising choice, perhaps, for a daughter of two farmers. “I’d done a few Interrail trips and also witnessed my unmarried aunts travel the world. They told me stories about their friends abroad and brought back gifts, and I guess that sparked my interest for what was out there.”

To Germany and back again

Paula studied international trade at Tampere Business College before following her then boyfriend to Pori. Her job hunt is very evocative of the times: she visited Satakunta Chamber of Commerce and was handed a list of companies that did international trade. She gained valuable experience in Finnish industry before embarking on her next adventure – to Germany.

“My mother read about a Finnish-German exchange program in Cologne. It was a two-year program with a scholarship that covered education and accommodation with a local family. There were 16 of us in total – engineers, technicians, and business students. We studied German and got to know the practicalities of living and working in Germany,” Paula explains.

After two years, starting with a short scholarship period in Cologne and continuing in Munich, however, Paula knew she wanted to return to Finland. The moment was not the most opportune: recession had just hit, and many questioned her decision to go back.

“I told them I wanted to find a Finnish man, and there wasn’t ample choice in Munich. There was a Tommi who worked in a bank, and that was it.” So Paula drove her brand new Volkswagen Golf to Travemünde and took the Finnjet back home.

Export projects and chilled reindeer

Paula’s next step was to attend a training program in international trade. When planning her final project for the training, she once more reached out to internationally operating companies in the Pori area – and found Cimcorp. While her career did take her elsewhere for another couple of years, the project was a foot in the door.

Paula’s Cimcorp career started in 1996 with logistics of spare parts and maintenance projects before delivery projects entered the picture. “Of course, the scale of things was nothing like today. Back in the 90s, sales, marketing, and logistics were all handled by one team. We did everything from export to holiday cards.”

For some time, expos were a part of Paula’s job description. She handled the practicalities such as logistics and bookings. From Germany to China, she traveled the world again, sometimes lugging suitcases filled with chilled reindeer meat and flatbread for making cocktail bites for visitors. “I loved the expos but eventually had to make the choice to focus solely on export projects. I was not a marketer, and it was wiser to direct my efforts to what I did best,” Paula remembers.

Leading a team with open communication

The current leadership role is another step forward for Paula, and a completely new experience. She took on the job right when covid-19 hit Finland and canceled a lot of training opportunities. “I’ve felt my way along by relying on my people skills. The team is superb, and everyone knows they can be open about their views,” Paula says. On top of overseeing export projects, Paula still handles some herself to balance the workload of her team and fill in when needed.

I enjoy the work and believe it’s important for me to stay on top of the day-to-day processes. It keeps my know-how up to date and helps me share the knowledge I’ve gathered throughout the years.

Embracing freedom and responsibility

In Paula’s experience, appreciating every colleague and their contribution is an integral part of Cimcorp’s work culture. Furthermore, there’s no pointing fingers for mistakes; instead, open sharing is encouraged and lessons are learned together.

I’m passionate about allowing both freedom and responsibility. You need to take responsibility of your work, and you also deserve the freedom to do it without someone breathing down your neck.

She recognizes that the Cimcorp spirit is not born of its own accord but needs to be valued and upheld. “We have fantastic people around, and we need to make sure it stays that way by always expecting appreciation for others.”

Carpe diem – cross-country skiing on lunch break

Paula’s joy and energy are contagious. After health scares in the past years, she has learned to seize the moment. “As I get older, I’m careful not to waste moments. Just last Monday as we speak, I spent a part of my lunch break cross-country skiing on the nearest trail. I had my skis out and worked the morning in my skiing outfit, ready for the moment I could get up and go before the next meeting.”

Group fitness classes provide another way to both exercise and meet friends. Come spring and summer, gardening and swimming in the outdoor pool are Paula’s favorite pastimes. With her husband, she’s also a frequent sight in theaters, concerts, and exhibitions. “I firmly believe that culture is what makes a person happy,” she declares.

A curious person at heart, Paula likes to experiment in the kitchen. She invites loved ones over, cooks a lovely meal, and sets the table with care. “Having my grown-up children home for dinner is a celebration every time.”

Grow, flow and glow

At Cimcorp we don’t fill vacancies; we solve our clients’ business challenges by sourcing the best people with the right mix of skills, experience and attitude.