Mira Dahlman has been appointed People & Culture Director of the Gofore Group as Sanna Hildén moves to VTT to take up the role of Chief People Officer. In her new role, Dahlman will be responsible for developing leadership, competence, and employee experience, as well as for human resources and recruitment. She previously held a corresponding role in Gofore’s business in Finland.
“Gofore has boldly set out to pursue growth in new industries, while our organisation has also undergone change. It has been rewarding to support this transformation in the Finnish organisation, and I am delighted to continue that work across the Gofore group. People and culture are at the very heart of what we do. I am excited and proud to take this work forward,” Dahlman says.
According to Dahlman, business success and positive employee experience go hand in hand. Clear goals support wellbeing, and when people feel well and want to give their best, it creates a virtuous circle that carries the organisation through challenging times.
One of the key near-term topics for Dahlman’s team is AI, which has already changed the work of both consultants and the Group’s corporate functions: how Goforeans can build their AI expertise together, how everyday workflows should evolve in an agentic world, what skills will be needed in the future and, above all, how Goforeans can support clients in their AI transitions
Dahlman believes it is equally important to recognize the human dimension of this phenomenon, both at Gofore and in client organisations
“There is already a sense of AI fatigue, and people are wondering, for example, what will happen to their own roles. I hope Goforeans will discuss these questions openly with each other and with our customers. When we talk about AI, it is important to talk about emotions and people’s everyday experiences, too. What sets us apart from purely technology-focused consultancies is that we help our clients not only adopt AI and agentic ways of working but also achieve the necessary change in thinking and behaviour,” Dahlman says.
A people-centred culture and meaningful projects attract talent
The IT industry is still competing for experienced professionals. According to Dahlman, Gofore’s strengths as an employer are its people-centred culture and strong spirit of collaboration. These are qualities for which the company is known and which are repeatedly highlighted in feedback from candidates.
“Many new Goforeans say they had not expected the collaborative spirit to be so genuinely strong,” Dahlman says.
Perhaps the company’s most important attraction, however, is the meaningful nature of the work and the opportunity to take part in inspiring client projects. Gofore helps its clients, for example, to modernise industry, advance the digitalisation of public services, and strengthen defence capability and internal security.
“We often work with clients and projects on a different scale from many other companies. Building industry based on data and services, delivering projects in the defence, security and space sectors, creating smoother private and public services, and improving accessibility are genuinely meaningful issues for many people. That attracts talent,” Dahlman says.
Dahlman also considers it important that Gofore is prepared to discuss challenging workplace topics openly, including mental health and the cognitive demands of knowledge work. These issues are particularly important in the age of AI.
A change management professional
Dahlman holds a Master degree of Social Sciences from the University of Helsinki, where she majored in social psychology. Earlier in her career, she worked in various communications roles at companies including Nokia and Hewlett-Packard. From 2008 onwards, she helped build CCEA, a company specialising in change management, as its first employee, partner, and a consultant
Dahlman joined Gofore through acquisition in 2021. Since then, she has held leadership roles in Gofore’s change management service area and led the company’s internal transformation in line with its current strategy and supporting organisational model
People, culture, change management and renewal have been the common thread throughout Dahlman’s career
Outside work, Dahlman spends time with her family, including her spouse, teenage twin daughters and their dog, in the Salo archipelago. Pilates, gym training and yoga are important ways for her to recharge.