“Switching jobs from the packaging industry to the energy sector was definitely a challenge, but the energy transition has fascinated me from the start. Even though I have always been intrigued by the industry, I was positively surprised to discover how interesting it really is. Not once have I felt on a Sunday that I didn't want to go to work the next day," Tuomas says.

Over six years, Tuomas has worked in various roles within sales and sales development at St1, starting as a Sales Manager and progressing to Head of B2B Sales in Finland.

Tuomas has been in his current role for nearly two years, leading an eight-person B2B sales team focusing on road transport clients and other customers requiring fuel for their facilities. Tuomas' team offers St1 Business cards, enabling companies to refuel at domestic and international St1 and Shell networks, whether it's a transportation company, taxi, or bus operator. In addition to traditional fuels, the team sells liquefied biogas (LBG) and renewable diesel (HVO) to road transport customers and is preparing to offer electric charging services to business card customers in the future.

Tuomas has been involved in numerous development projects, including launching renewable diesel and biogas, as well as digital services.

"St1 has always been able to offer me new challenges, which has enabled my professional growth. For this, I am very grateful to my employer," Tuomas says.

Working together to support energy transition

Tuomas wrote his MBA thesis in International Business Management on developing value-based selling and applies these learnings in his daily work.

"What inspires me greatly, is how we can create value by helping our customers in their own energy transition and strategies to reduce the emissions from their own businesses," Tuomas explains.

“Many might be surprised by the various industries in which St1 operates in and the kind of dialogue the company's sales team has with customers on a daily basis”. Tuomas emphasizes the importance of customers in the company's value chain and highlights that without them, St1 could not realize its vision of being the leading producer and seller of CO₂-aware energy.

What Tuomas also enjoys very much about his work is sharing knowledge and supporting his own team.

"For me, a meaningful part of my job is coaching and guiding my team within value-based selling. To be able to have meaningful and value-creating discussions with customers, we need to master a substantial amount of information on regulations, raw materials for renewable products, and future outlooks. This is a multifaceted challenge, so the ability to provide such information creates value for the customer. This requires the support of our entire expert organization," Tuomas says.

Tuomas hopes that global actions and a shared understanding could make the future more predictable and enable genuine investments in the energy transition.

"Every day, I ponder how we build a truly sustainable future for our children," Tuomas reflects.

Game-changing moments on the career path

Achieving his dream of becoming a team leader has been a groundbreaking milestone in Tuomas's career.

"The most significant moment in my career was when my leadership abilities were recognized, and I was promoted to team leader. As former competitive athlete and team captain, I am proud to now act as sort of captain for my own team. The lessons learned from team sports have shaped my leadership style and can often be applied in the workplace, even if the themes we work on are different. Sales is primarily a team sport in our organization where close cooperation is crucial to understand each member's role to succeed and achieve results," Tuomas notes.

Recently, Tuomas and his team won a significant tender, and sharing this success with the entire team has been particularly rewarding.

Tuomas’s tips for a successful career

In sales, goals drive actions. Tuomas recommends applying the same principle to one's career development.

Everything starts with setting goals, both short and long-term. When you work determinedly towards your goal, success usually follows. Whether it's sports, playing an instrument, or job tasks, moving forward is based on building on strengths and developing weaknesses. Practice and repetition are keys to improvement," Tuomas advises.

"I have also listened to my heart, my intuition. Often, you find yourself in situations in your career where you try to justify things with logic, but instead, you should listen to your intuition and feelings. So far, my intuition has served me well in navigating the waves of life."

"A desire to learn, curiosity, kindness, enthusiasm".

These are qualities that have been critical to Tuomas's success and still energizes him every day.

Clear vision and world-class colleagues

Tuomas feels that the best things in St1 are its people and vision.

"The people make this company a great place to work. We have an excellent team, and we really appreciate and care about each other," Tuomas says.

Collaboration with colleagues in the Nordic countries and the UK strengthens customer work and adds purpose to the job. The company's vision is clear, which makes it easier to follow and understand.

"St1's vision to be the leading producer and seller of CO2-aware energy has changed very little over time; it remains consistent and is easy to implement and understand. I am all in for the energy transition," Tuomas concludes.