When Tommi Laurila joined Netox in 2011, he already had strong experience in the IT industry. Netox was in a growth phase and offered him the opportunity to join a company where he could use his expertise broadly and continue developing it over the long term.
“Netox’s CEO and my former colleague, Mikko Luhtaniemi, encouraged me to join several times. Eventually, I decided to take on the challenge and came to Netox,” Tommi says.
Data center services became part of Tommi’s work soon after. Netox began building its data center business in 2013, and Tommi got involved almost from the start. Since then, his work has been strongly connected to data centers, capacity services and their technical development.
The flexibility of a smaller company has remained through growth
In more than ten years, Netox has changed a great deal. The company has grown, ways of working have developed, and more structures and processes have been introduced. In Tommi’s view, this has been a positive change, as it shows that Netox has grown into a more professional and stronger service organization.
At the same time, something essential has remained.
“We have moved more in the direction of a larger company, but the flexibility of a smaller company has remained. I think that is a really great thing,” Tommi says.
According to Tommi, this flexibility is also visible to customers. Service is still fast, and the right people can be reached when needed. Even though the organization has grown, the way of working has not disappeared behind complicated structures.
For Tommi, Netox’s culture is also reflected in the fact that many long-time employees are still with the company.
“We still have a lot of colleagues who were already here in the early days. To me, that says something about the fact that things are done well here and people enjoy working here.”
Over the years, many new people have joined the company, but Tommi says the atmosphere has remained recognizable. People are different, but the way of working and the shared spirit have stayed the same.
Data center services require broad expertise
As Lead Architect, Tommi works at the heart of Netox’s capacity services. His work focuses on developing the technical foundation of data center services and ensuring that the services operate reliably as customer needs evolve.
In practice, this means technical planning, customer projects, transitions and supporting colleagues. The role requires broad expertise, because in data center services, every solution plays a part in the functionality of the whole.
“My role is quite varied. I have been in the industry since 1999, so I have gained experience across many different areas,” Tommi says.
The variety is also one of the best parts of the work.
“No two days are the same. The core responsibility is the technical development of the data center business and making sure everything runs as it should.”
IBM Champion recognition reflects the value of sharing expertise
In 2026, Tommi’s expertise received new recognition when he was selected for the IBM Champion program. The recognition is linked to long-term work with IBM technologies, but also to sharing knowledge and playing an active role in the expert community.
Netox’s data center services make extensive use of IBM technology, and Tommi has worked with IBM for a long time. Over the years, he has participated in user groups, events and discussions where technology is developed further and expertise is shared with others.
The recognition is a natural continuation of the work Tommi has done for years, both in Netox’s data center services and in the wider technology community. It reflects expertise that does not remain limited to one person’s own work, but also benefits colleagues, customers and partners.
