Coming from Norway, Snorre Solvang’s initial impression of Elisa was quite different to what he has discovered that it actually is during his time as one of over 6,000 Elisians: Elisa’s international nature, the surprising range of Elisa’s activities beyond just traditional telecoms, and the significant impact that Elisians can have on society.
Snorre’s career at Elisa has given him significant international exposure, allowing him to collaborate with diverse teams from around the world. Snorre now works in Elisa Industriq as Head of Customer Success for Elisa Distributed Energy Storage (DES), but he has experienced a number of dynamic roles in different parts of Elisa in sales, business development and strategy, contributing to the growth of Elisa Polystar and Elisa Industriq.
When he started in 2016, Elisa was just beginning to establish its international operations. Today, Elisa Industriq serves thousands of customers across Asia, the USA and Europe, and employs almost 1,000 professionals worldwide in Germany, Italy, the USA, Singapore China and other locations.
This international presence has not only broadened Snorre's professional network, it has also enriched his work experience. As Snorre explains, “We have a great mix of people from Finland and from other countries, which has been a positive experience for me.”
Snorre was pleasantly surprised to find that Elisa is more than just a telecom company. His journey began in one of Elisa’s internal startup environments, where he was involved in everything from marketing and sales to business development and strategy. This dynamic and fast-paced setting was a stark contrast to his initial expectations of a large, static telecom corporation.
Snorre’s role has evolved over the years, and he has found himself deeply involved in the development of Elisa Polystar and Elisa Industriq, contributing to their growth and success. He recalls, “My work has been really fast paced. I met with almost 100 startups during my first months at Elisa, and things went really, really quickly”.
“In my current role at Elisa Industriq, it’s really rewarding to interact directly with customers – existing customers, but also those that will hopefully be our customers in the future. Additionally, and obviously, the interaction within our team is also good, and we have clear shared goals for where we are taking the Elisa DES business.”
"If you are passionate about making technology have a real impact on people’s lives, Elisa is the place for you."
One of the most meaningful aspects of Snorre’s work at Elisa is the impact it allows him to have on society. DES is a prime example of that.
“We enable consumers, telcos, and commercial and corporate clients to participate in electricity flexibility markets, making money at the same time as creating resilience. Just five years ago, none of this was even possible. Having flexible energy assets also enables the growth of renewable energy sources and a more robust electricity grid”, Snorre explains.
For telcos, participating in the electricity flexibility market represents a complete shift in how they view backup power – transforming it from a cost centre for reserve capacity into a new revenue stream while simultaneously enhancing network resilience. “Synergies like this are rare in business”, Snorre says.
Snorre has a clear message for anyone considering a career at Elisa: “If you are passionate about making technology have a real impact on people’s lives, Elisa is the place for you. The company offers a unique blend of stability and a dynamic, empowering work environment. With its ambitious mission to create a sustainable future through digitalisation, Elisa provides an exciting and challenging workplace where you can truly make a difference.”