All articles Codemate’s Director of AI, Data & Cloud, Ville Lindfors, has spent nearly three decades working in the technology industry. Data and decision-making have been integral to his work from the very beginning, particularly how data can support business and enable better services.
A decade or so ago, AI looked very different and was far from the everyday tool it is now. Even then, however, algorithms were already quietly embedded in daily life, powering tasks such as classification and other forms of data processing.
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Ville’s interest in technology dates back to his childhood: his mother worked in information processing, and his father in automation. He was building things and experimenting early on, though he doesn’t see himself as a stereotypical tech geek.
– I was more into sports and experimenting with anything hands-on, Ville says.
His childhood dream job had nothing to do with IT.
– At one point, I thought I wanted to do ‘real work’, maybe even build boats. Later, I became interested in civil engineering – building bridges and cities, something where you could clearly see the results of your work.
Technology eventually won him over. He started his career in consulting and later moved into product organisations. Over the years, he has worked in a wide range of environments, from ERP systems to e-commerce and cybersecurity.
– The best part of consulting is getting to understand different kinds of businesses and figuring out how technology can genuinely solve problems, Ville says.
New technologies continue to inspire him.
– My first instinct with any new tool is to ask: ‘what could we do with this?’ New technologies always open up new possibilities.
For Ville, technology is a way to make an impact – but he is just as interested in the people and phenomena behind it.
A multi-skilled expert beyond tech
Ville has worked both as an entrepreneur and in international companies, including F-Secure (now WithSecure) and Aiven. Despite a strong technical background, his interest has always extended beyond the tech itself – especially to how it is applied.
– I’ve always been interested in people and how things work. At the University of Helsinki, I studied communication, and more recently, I completed basic studies in psychology. I graduated from Henley’s coaching programme in 2021, Ville describes.
This broad expertise shows in his work at Codemate, where he often operates at the intersection of disciplines, supporting developers, designers, sales and marketing alike.
Old contacts, new beginnings
Codemate and its founders, Toni Piirainen and Jukka Katajaharju, are familiar faces from projects years ago. Ville and Toni also share a long background in competitive swimming and coaching, with many hours spent at the poolside.
The first conversations about joining Codemate happened years earlier, after a long period of consulting. Back then, Ville chose a product organisation instead. As 2025 approached, the discussions resurfaced – and this time the timing felt right.
– We believed that what I’d learned in product development could support Codemate’s growth goals. For me, it meant getting to see a wider range of industries again, learning from them and helping customers move forward.
Clear goals, open approach
Ville joined Codemate at the start of 2025 with a broad mandate to advance the company’s AI, data and cloud capabilities – and ensure Codemate’s offering matches customers’ evolving needs.
– From the beginning, it was clear that I would help build Codemate’s AI strategy and support the wider transformation that’s happening across the whole sector. This way, we stay at the forefront of AI adoption without the hype, Ville says.
Today, his workdays consist of customer meetings and training sessions, architectural and strategic planning, and building Codemate’s internal AI transformation. The role spans both technical and communicative work.
– The priority is doing the things that genuinely make sense for our customers – and that strengthen Codemate’s position in the market.
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AI is part of daily work at Codemate, supporting design, proposals, implementation and testing. Skills are developed through both customer projects and internal practices.
Codemate uses its own AI assistants and supports teams with training and coaching. Ville plays a central role in shaping these ways of working and ensuring the company stays ahead of the curve.
One example is AI Splash – a company-wide forum led by Ville where teams share insights, ideas and practical learnings about working with AI.
Ville approaches AI pragmatically.
– No model is perfect. Understanding and managing risk is an essential part of using AI responsibly. It’s not only about what AI can do, but what is actually worth doing, Ville points out.
People first – in tech and culture
Outside of work, Ville spends his time on family life, sports and events.
– I don’t even think of all work-related events as ‘work’. It’s natural for me to jump from a customer meeting to marketing discussions and then straight into events to learn and network, Ville shares.
He says that balancing work and the rest of life has felt straightforward at Codemate. The culture recognises that work isn’t everything, and flexibility goes both ways.
– No one expects us to be working 24/7. The best thing here is the genuine care for people, Ville praises.
Collaboration between teams is equally smooth.
– It doesn’t matter whether you’re technical, on the business side or in marketing – what matters is that we can talk about anything sensibly and constructively, without unnecessary role barriers.
Human-centred AI
At Codemate, AI isn’t hype – it’s a practical tool for solving real business challenges with the right technologies in the right contexts. It’s also not the answer to everything; sometimes the best solution lies elsewhere. What matters is the whole picture.
Ville brings vision, collaboration skills and experience-based realism to Codemate’s AI development. When technology is approached with people in mind, the solutions that follow genuinely matter.
Want to hear more?
Book a meeting with Ville to discuss how AI can elevate your business!
