Kai Sandberg is taking on the role of Head of Service Area for Technical Project Management at Gofore. After a long career in the IT industry, Kai is returning to digital services development at an organisation he sees as having both the capability and the will to lead the way in agentic AI.
1. What has your career been like so far?
I’ve worked in technology and software development for 22 years. I’ve gained experience in both in-house roles and consulting, in roughly equal measure. I started my career as a software developer, but I’ve spent most of my career in project management roles. More recently, organisations have seen potential in me for leading services and organisations, as well as for business development. My career has been one of continuous growth as an IT professional, and new roles have allowed me to keep learning. I have sector expertise from telecom and technology, the public sector, and finance.
2. Why did you want to join Gofore?
Gofore’s brand carries real weight in the market. An important factor for me was the chance to return to digital services development and to work at an organisation with both the capability and the will to lead the way in agentic AI. Gofore is an organisation that can turn concepts and ideas into everyday practice in digital services development.
Another factor that influenced my decision was Gofore’s reputation as a good, employee-friendly workplace. Gofore’s strong performance in Great Place to Work and Universum surveys supported my decision to change employers. Gofore’s values place strong emphasis on collaboration, and I’m genuinely pleased about that – it’s close to my own values and my view of what makes a successful and enjoyable workplace.
3. How do you see the transformation in software development?
Software development is being disrupted by AI-driven technological change. The field has changed and will continue to change significantly as new operating models, tools, and agentic work become more common. Every software development organisation should move from AI experimentation to systematic, phased adoption across all areas of software development.
What’s certain is that roles and job descriptions across the industry will change. I don’t believe AI will lead to mass unemployment, but individuals are better off accepting the change in how we work and becoming part of it. I’m no oracle – I can’t predict exactly where we’ll end up or how all of this will affect organisations. Time will tell.
4. How do customers benefit from your expertise at Gofore?
I want to help solve our customers’ challenges. My strengths are extensive, broad-based project management experience, sector expertise, and the ability to look at customer problems from different angles. My own experience gives me a real understanding of what everyday life looks like for the people making purchasing decisions on the customer side. I believe this helps me build solutions that are both long-term and practical, and that genuinely meet our customers’ needs.
5. Tell us something about yourself!
I’m married and we have two children. I’ve lived in Helsinki for the past 18 years, though I previously studied and worked in Tampere. I’m originally from Pori.
I’m a huge fan of professional road cycling and have followed the sport from my couch for over 20 years. I’ve made it to three Tour de France races in person, and once had the chance to watch the Paris–Roubaix monument live.
