Ilona Järveläinen: Growing a business that makes a difference
Doubling the size of Veolia's Nordic business within less than a decade is not only a commercially ambitious goal, but one that also contributes to solving global challenges: Veolia’s solutions and GreenUp strategy focus on decarbonisation, circular economy solutions and sustainable resource management.
“It is often assumed that reducing the environmental impact of industrial operations and improving their profitability are conflicting goals. But that is not the case. Veolia’s core expertise lies in deep engineering, which — when combined with strong commercial and market understanding — can create something totally new. This intersection is also where my own strengths and passion lie, “says Ilona Järveläinen, Vice President for Business Development at Veolia Finland.
A good example of Veolia’s innovative way of working is the biorefinery developed together with Metsä Fibre in Äänekoski. Starting operations in August 2025, it will be the world’s largest facility producing biomethanol from pulp mill sidestreams.
When Järveläinen joined Veolia in October 2023, she took on the mission of leading Veolia’s growth in Finland and across the Nordic region. Together with her team, she is responsible for executing the newly created growth strategy. This continues her career where commercialising renewable energy and circular economy solutions have gone hand in hand since her Master’s thesis. Prior to joining Veolia, Järveläinen worked for St1 Nordic in various positions, focusing on biomethane and biogas, biofuels, bioproducts, and business development across the Nordic region.
A curiosity for chemistry and an eye for the big picture
The roots of Järveläinen’s passion for chemistry and engineering lie in the curious mind she had as a child. Borrowing children's chemistry books from the library, she carried out small experiments at home, fascinated by simple phenomena — such as discovering why an egg floats (word of warning before you try: if it floats, the egg has gone bad).
With both parents having a background in engineering, she found inspiration and encouragement to pursue chemical engineering studies at Aalto University. There, Järveläinen realised that meticulous laboratory work was not where her strengths lay — she was drawn to broader systems. This led her to specialise in plant and process design and industrial engineering and later to move into commercial and broader strategic roles.
“Having a solid understanding of chemical and technical fundamentals and being able to engage in in-depth discussions with subject matter experts has been a major advantage for me,” Järveläinen explains.
To inspire and be inspired by women leading in engineering
In Finland and the Nordics, Veolia's GreenUp strategy is tailored to fit the specific regional context. Veolia has strong local experience in large and complex industrial operations, for example, in collaboration with Neste and Borealis in Kilpilahti and with Boliden and Nornickel in Harjavalta, where Veolia through its subsidiary STEP supplies critical goods to major industrial clients.
“We are ideally positioned to grow by combining our local excellence and Veolia’s global capabilities. However, turning that potential into real results requires full engagement across the entire organisation. It’s not simply about increasing sales, but about developing every aspect of our operations, processes and systems to enable sustainable, scalable growth,” Järveläinen emphasises.
As a leader, Järveläinen values trust and openness. She aims to lead by example and connect with people on a personal level:
“We have numeric targets, but ultimately, it’s about having the right, motivated, and competent people in the right roles. Alongside formal structures, it’s important that work is fun. A strong team can make even the most difficult challenges feel easier to handle.”
Järveläinen thrives in roles that constantly present new challenges. She credits her former supervisors for recognising the value of her development and actively helping her progress and says that this is the kind of leadership she strives to foster herself.
Her own experience of stepping outside her comfort zone has made her aware of how much women — especially younger women — may need encouragement to take risks and trust their abilities.
“Women tend to be overly critical of themselves. Over time, I’ve grown confident that almost anything can be handled. In my experience, this type of mindset seems to come more naturally for men than women,” she reflects.
When the leadership opportunity at Veolia arose, Järveläinen was particularly inspired to see that the Group CEO, Estelle Brachlianoff, is herself an engineer:
“That gave me a sense of confidence that this is a company I want to work for.”
In her current role, the ability to tolerate uncertainty and respond to changes in the business environment is essential. It requires balancing both long-term vision and short-term agility:
“We need a long-term vision while constantly adjusting our operations to reflect where the business environment and the world are heading. It’s both a challenge and one of the most rewarding aspects of my work.”
A purposeful long-term perspective
Järveläinen is excited about the journey ahead and sees herself focused for years to come on executing the GreenUp strategy and expanding Veolia’s presence in the Nordic region.
Outside the office, two small children ensure that Järveläinen sets work matters aside. Sports in various forms — running, working out at the gym, and spending time in nature — as well as reading, help her recharge and balance the demands of a challenging role.
“Sometimes after a busy weekend with the kids, I’m not sure I’ve actually recovered — but at least I’ve switched off,” Järveläinen says with a laugh.
The combination of bold commercial ambition, world-class solutions, and meaningful ecological impact continues to fuel Järveläinen’s passion for her work. And at home, seeing the next generation offers a daily reminder of why the long-term perspective matters.
“What ultimately motivates me is the opportunity to do work that truly makes a difference on a large scale,” Järveläinen concludes.