Let's meet Fluidit's Chief Operating Officer, Hannes Björninen

In a nutshell, who are you and where do you come from?

I am a civil engineer and water professional from Tampere, Finland. I have worked in the stormwater and flood management sector for over 15 years, including seven years in Australia.

I am also the father of two young daughters, who bring color and perspective to life in many ways. From this point of view, I want Fluidit to be a flexible and fair employer no matter where you are in your life. We all have our quests.

Many of my friends know me as someone who takes on many projects. And this is true, as I enjoy diverse challenges. I often get deep into learning something new, such as various sports, many kinds of handiwork, music, or photography. Much of my focus has also been on developing all aspects of our company, Fluidit.

So what does a COO at Fluidit do?

As Chief Operating Officer (COO), my primary duty is ensuring all our technical and administrative teams work well together. I foster a culture where information flows, we work as one, and everyone has the environment to perform at their best sustainably. In other words, the three main aspects include:

In addition, I am involved in leading our stormwater department and overseeing various stormwater, flood modeling, and combined sewer projects. Working with our younger water engineers and seeing them grow into larger boots has been inspiring. The speed at which they uptake new technology and methods is stunning, but there is also a need for mentoring, questioning, and managing the big picture - this is where I can help.

We have a very flat organization, and our employees can approach all the team members casually and easily. I enjoy the dynamic role of COO, where I can work with everyone and directly influence all aspects of the company.

How do you see your Fluidit journey so far?

Since I joined Fluidit in 2020 as Lead Engineer for the stormwater sector, the company's development has been quite breathtaking. We have transformed from a solid startup into an agile international growth company. The Fluidit software was relatively mature already back then, but the rest of the palette has taken giant leaps. For example, our team has doubled in size, our brand is increasingly well-known, and the processes are efficient and professional. And we have customers in over 20 countries! It is exciting to be part of this.

How would you describe the overall spirit at Fluidit?

I love how we have built on our enthusiasm, strong team spirit, and "nothing is impossible" attitude. As of day one, we still want to constantly shake up the industry with a fresh approach while creating feet-on-the-ground societal benefits in the water and energy sectors. We want the industry to be more educated and self-sufficient, realizing the opportunities that lie in digitalization.

Has there been any pivotal moments in your career?

My move to Australia was a pivotal moment in my career. It was intriguing and opened my eyes to another reality in the water sector: a completely different and more extreme climate and environment. The Australian engineering sector had systematically tackled challenges, such as severe flooding and droughts, for decades, and there was a wealth of knowledge to learn from. This made me humble but thrilled to take on the challenge.

Hence, my 10-month excursion became a 7-year residence in the Sydney and Melbourne regions. I worked on stormwater design and flood analysis projects in consulting engineering firms, learning the methods, policies, and tools they have adopted. It is fair to say that this journey changed my perspectives and my professional trajectory more than anything else.

How do you see your impact in the water sector?

Putting Fluidit aside, I also want to contribute to the water sector in other ways. For example, I teach urban hydrology and hydraulic modeling courses at Tampere University. I want to inspire students with real-life examples, paint them a bigger picture of what is out there, and encourage them to continue their careers in the water sector. This has been satisfying.

I also volunteer for the Finnish Stormwater Committee (Water Association of Finland), where I can contribute to knowledge sharing. For instance, we organize the national conference and some smaller networking events, making the stormwater sector a more tight-knit group.

At Fluidit, we want to encourage our employees to be active in their respective sectors. Grassroots activities can provide meaningful ways to influence, learn, and network, and these connections may be some of the most important ones of your career.

Finally, what would you like to say to anyone interested in joining Fluidit?

Joining Fluidit can be one of the pivotal moments of your career. We offer a unique international environment where you can stay curious and learn about the latest technologies while working on meaningful and impactful projects. Our team believes we can help future-proofing cities for generations to come.