What are the next challenges to solve? The excitement of new opportunities keeps the job interesting, says Antti Partanen, CEO of Rederi AB Nathalie.
The drive to do a bit more, a bit better
Hailing from Kuopio, a city in Northern Savonia, Antti is a person with an ambitious mindset and a practical yet positive approach to challenges. Antti wasn’t afraid of changes, when he moved from the other side of Finland to the west coast in his teenage years and enrolled in Maritime Academy to become a maritime professional.
Today, Antti is the CEO of RABN – actually, he has been that for ten years already. He’s into continuous improvement: to always do a little bit more, a little bit better.
Commitment and mutual trust matter
Antti’s deep and genuine interest towards the maritime industry is impossible to overlook if you happen to find out his Google search history or you go on a holiday with him – it’s always ships and ports in his head.
After several years of working as a captain, Antti knows what it truly is like to be on a ship and what it takes to steer her successfully. This is the reason he may sometimes be demanding as a leader, Antti thinks, because he knows what it takes in practice to do the work well. “My role is to offer support to our employees. It’s in my best interest to enable the employees to grow in their career path”, describes Antti.
As a leader, Antti strives to be the most reliable and responsible employer. For him, it’s crucial that employees can trust his words. When an employee considers him as an equal coworker, he thinks he has done something right. Mutual appreciation and trust are essential.
Endlessly evolving
What is a typical workday of a CEO like? According to Antti, there is no such thing. Instead, his work is characterized by change and new challenges.
Since the tasks and situations are continuously on the move, the job of a CEO requires an ability to combine ideas, perceive broad entities, notice the essential issues, understand numbers and think creatively, Antti thinks. First and foremost, it’s about solving problems.
A tight-knit partnership with co-founder Johan keeps things running smoothly, as they have a like-minded attitude towards problem-solving. They both have their own strengths, and both are aware of them. “Without Johan, there is not a chance I would be in this position by now. Our teamwork is absolutely essential.”
To sum up, Antti thinks the most interesting part of his job are the new opportunities. “You never know what a new day has to offer. There are only opportunities: you do, and you learn.”
