This autumn, the ICOS Head Office is welcoming two new members! Saija Korppi-Tommola has been appointed as the new Head of Administration, and Beatriz Abelenda will be a new addition to our growing communications team.
A new chapter in ICOS Administration
Saija Korppi-Tommola is the new Head of Administration. She will take on team lead responsibilities and duties such as financial planning and reporting.
Saija is moving to us from the UFF foundation, where she was also Head of Administration. Previously, she worked for over 17 years at the University of Helsinki in a range of finance and administrative managerial roles, including Head of Finance, Office Manager, and IT Project Manager. Her longest role was as Head of Services for the project finance controller teams in Viikki. She has worked with research project finances (incl. RCF and EU) since 2010.
She holds a Master of Science in Economics from the Helsinki School of Economics. Her major was Management Science, which focuses on mathematical analysis for decision-making. Her minors were Business Law, Organisations & Management, and Spanish. In Business Law, she focused on employment and contract law. She has recently expanded her expertise with a study module on Sustainable Development.
In her free time, she enjoys literature in three languages, though she admits she now mostly listens to audiobooks. In addition to walks in nature, she enjoys padel and yoga. Her creative side comes out in her sewing, so be sure to check out her handbag! And when the opportunity comes along, she likes attending rock concerts.
A creative new addition to ICOS Communications
Beatriz Abelenda will join us as a Marketing and Communications Specialist. Bea's role will include IRISCC project communication, promotion of ICOS, and participation in online projects.
Bea has broad experience in all facets of marketing communications and design, having worked in several marketing teams for numerous technology companies in Finland. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Pompeu Fabra University and a master’s degree in Online Information (UX/UI) from the Barcelona School of Management, where she is originally from. She has also recently completed additional studies in Digital Arts, which have broadened her creativity and content creating expertise.
Bea is passionate about arts and crafts, books, and music. You can often find her deep-diving into a new fantasy novel, drawing, or even writing about those fantastical worlds and characters herself. She is also very interested in upcycling, repurposing fabrics from forgotten clothing or second-hand finds, and transforming them into beautiful new pieces with her sewing machine.