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LAURI TÄHTINENChief Executive Officer
Lauri is a seasoned entrepreneur, strategist and leader at the intersection of geopolitics, technology, and business. With a global background in academia, policy, and consultancy, he lives for moments when vision meets execution. He has delivered advice to leaders in the public and private sectors and taught at Ivy League and leading European universities. He relishes the challenge of developing new approaches to old and emerging challenges. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics, a master’s from Harvard University, and a PhD in History from the University of Cambridge. |
Andrew ONGChief Growth Officer
Andrew is a seasoned C-level executive with 30+ years of experience building and scaling Fintech, SaaS, and technology businesses across Asia-Pacific and global markets. Known for taking companies from inception to market leadership, he delivered triple-digit growth as Regional Managing Director, APAC at Flywire, expanding from zero to a multimillion-dollar operation in four countries, and as CEO of 3S Money Singapore, launching APAC operations and driving rapid expansion. Passionate about frontier technology and digital transformation, Andrew serves on boards and advises AI, fintech, and medtech startups, including JuniGo, Deaglo, VentureBlick, and Agrud Technologies. He leverages his expertise to accelerate product-market fit, fundraising, and cross-border growth for high-potential ventures. |
Jouko AhvenainenFounder & Chairman
Jouko is a serial entrepreneur in data analytics, fintech, and external intelligence, with a track record of building businesses across Asia, Europe, and the US. He has raised capital from tier-one Silicon Valley venture capital firms and scaled companies to tens of millions in revenue. A pioneer in applying advanced data science to business, Jouko has built and led teams of top PhD-level experts, working hands-on with them to turn cutting-edge models, including early network analytics solutions, into successful global products. He has also worked in international affairs, military planning, and written on geopolitics and security policy. He holds master’s degrees in Computer Science, Finance, and Political Science. |
Akseli kettulaVP, Product & Business Development
Akseli focuses on understanding risk and opportunity in complex, real-world environments, with a strong background in insurance, risk management, and large-scale corporate exposure. He has managed a client portfolio of more than 40 organizations in the insurance brokerage sector and coordinated insurance programs for three global market leaders with annual revenues exceeding €3 billion. Through this work, Akseli has gained hands-on experience in structuring international insurance solutions, working across multiple jurisdictions, and addressing operational, financial, and strategic risk at scale. Akseli holds a Master’s degree in Insurance and Risk Management and is currently completing his PhD. His academic research complements his professional experience by deepening his understanding of risk dynamics, uncertainty, and decision-making under changing conditions. |
Jani kinnunenChief Research Officer
Jani is a senior academic researcher with a distinguished publication record across economics, finance, and computer science. He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed scientific publications, reflecting long-standing engagement with both theoretical and applied research at the intersection of quantitative methods and real-world economic and political systems. His research expertise spans machine learning, economic and political systems analysis, investment modeling, financial analysis, soft computing, and risk management. His doctoral research focuses on investment modeling in mergers and acquisitions, addressing valuation, uncertainty, and strategic decision-making in complex transactions. At Mission Grey, he contributes deep scientific expertise in model design, quantitative analysis, and uncertainty modeling, strengthening the platform’s analytical foundations and ensuring that its decision intelligence is grounded in robust, peer-reviewed research. |
Teppo koskinenFounder & Chief Technology Officer
Teppo is a technology-driven entrepreneur with a long-standing focus on building practical and scalable software systems. With more than two decades of experience, he has founded and led several companies across machine learning, test automation, and mobile application development, working hands-on with both product design and technical implementation. His background spans the full lifecycle of software creation, from early experimentation and architecture design to production deployment and long-term maintenance. Across his ventures, Teppo has consistently focused on turning emerging technologies into reliable, usable solutions that solve concrete problems. Teppo holds a Master of Science degree in Computer Science and Engineering. |
KUAN YEN TANHead of Models
Kuan holds a Ph.D. in experimental physics. He began his career in academia, researching a range of quantum computing platforms and co-authoring over 50 peer-reviewed papers. His scientific work has taken him to world-class laboratories across Australia, the United States, and Europe. Kuan co-founded IQM Quantum Computers, before that he also spent time at Intel and Microsoft. As IQM’s co-founder and inaugural Chief Technology Officer, he built the technology organization from the ground up, growing it into a 200-person team of engineers and scientists. Under his leadership, the company reached several major milestones, most notably delivering Finland’s first commercial quantum computer in record time. In recognition of his contributions, the Technology Industries of Finland named him CTO of the Year in 2023. |
Janaki KatesHead of Intelligence
Janaki is a national security expert and commentator drawing on her nearly 18 year career in government where she was known for expanding missions and growing diverse workforces. Janaki started at the CIA as an analyst focusing on foreign space programs. As an analytic manager and technical director, she led a variety of teams across Directorates that focused on foreign weapon systems, counterproliferation, and counterintelligence. In addition, Janaki was an intelligence briefer to executives at the Department of State and National Security Council, an editor for the President’s Daily Brief, and served as the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Director of National Intelligence during a Presidential transition. Most recently, she served as the Director of Government Affairs for Intelligence Programs at Northrop Grumman. Janaki received a BS in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from MIT and an MA in Security Studies from Georgetown University. |
Erno PirinenVP, Technical Product Management
Erno is a creative and analytical problem solver with a strong foundation across business, product development, and technology. He brings extensive experience in AI, data-driven systems, and digital automation, including leading the development and scaling of a cloud orchestration platform at a tier-1 VC-backed technology company. In this role, he helped take the platform from early concept to global adoption, with deployments across Fortune 500 customers. His work spanned product architecture, platform reliability, customer-facing solutions, and close collaboration with enterprise users operating in demanding, high-scale environments. He holds an M.Sc. degree in Industrial Engineering and Management (IEM), which underpins his ability to bridge advanced technology with operational and commercial realities. |
Peter SteubeHead of Community
Peter is a strategic connector and community builder with deep experience in launching, scaling, and activating executive-level networks. He is particularly focused on creating environments where senior leaders can exchange insight, challenge assumptions, and translate shared intelligence into practical action. His career spans strategic relationship development, peer-led knowledge communities, content and insight creation, market research, and executive events. Peter previously led Gartner’s digital peer networking and community initiatives, where he worked closely with senior executives across industries to foster high-value exchange around strategy, technology, and emerging risks. He has also been an early hire and leadership contributor at multiple VC-backed companies, helping them grow communities, partnerships, and influence during critical scaling phases. |
Monique BoddingtonHead of Campus
Monique leads Mission Grey’s cooperation with universities, research institutes, and research programs. She is a Management Practice Associate Professor at the Cambridge Judge Business School, where she directs the Master’s in Entrepreneurship. She has a long track record of leading research collaborations between academia, policymakers, and international organizations. At Mission Grey, Monique ensures that partnerships with universities are a two-way exchange: bringing advanced research into our platform while enabling researchers and students to apply Mission Grey’s external intelligence tools to their own work. This dual approach strengthens Mission Grey’s role at the intersection of research, strategy, and real-world decision-making. |
Pekka virkkiCo-founder & Intelligence Recruiter
Pekka is a well-known author and journalist specializing in geopolitics, with a strong focus on international relations, regional dynamics, and the strategic implications of global power shifts. His work centers on making complex geopolitical developments understandable and relevant for decision-makers, institutions, and the wider public. He has authored several books on geopolitics and international affairs, and his analysis has been widely published by leading newspapers and think tanks, including The Times, El País, CEPA, and Horasis. Pekka holds a Master’s degree in Social Sciences, with a focus on International Relations and Regional Studies. His academic background supports a disciplined analytical approach, while his extensive journalistic experience brings real-world perspective and clarity. |
Thorsten TerweidenDirector, Business Development
Thorsten Terweiden is a senior trade and investment promotion professional with more than 20 years of leadership experience across Europe, Asia, and Australia. Most recently, he led European investment attraction for the State of Victoria, Australia, driving high-quality investment projects into Melbourne. Previously, Thorsten headed the International Office for Economic Development in Magdeburg, where he was part of the core team that secured Intel’s landmark investment, the largest in post-war Germany. He has also served as Deputy Head of Trade & Investment at the British Embassy in Berlin and as European FinTech Lead and Deputy Head of FinTech at Invest Hong Kong, where he successfully attracted major UK scale-ups into the Asian market. Earlier in his career, Thorsten progressed through senior roles at the Swiss Business Hub UK, leading Switzerland’s export and investment promotion activities across sectors ranging from advanced manufacturing to defense. Thorsten combines strategic leadership with hands-on execution. He is based in Berlin. |
Eva MikkonenOSINT Specialist & Software Developer
Eva is a cybersecurity professional with approximately seven years of full-time experience in the field, and a broader background spanning over a decade in information technology. She has worked in demanding scale-up environments, including serving as one half of a small, highly trusted security team at an IaaS company, where she took responsibility for both product security and the development of techniques to counter fraudulent use of services. In addition to security-focused work, Eva has hands-on experience in full-stack software development and maintenance, enabling her to work effectively at the intersection of security, systems, and real-world product constraints. Open-source intelligence (OSINT) and continuous monitoring of the evolving security landscape are integral parts of her daily work and professional practice. Eva holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Business Information Technology. |
Seán McLoughlinPractice & Community Developer
Seán is a passionate student of international politics with a diverse background in municipal politics, civil society organizations and property insurance at a global insurance brokerage. His experience and academic studies provide insight on all levels of politics and the intersection of politics, economics, business and wider society. His studies have focused on matters of international security, energy policy and European integration, with a thesis concerning the effects of Brexit on the Irish border. He holds a bachelor’s thesis in international politics with a minor in public law and is currently working on master's degree studies in international politics at the University of Tampere. Seán is working with Mission Grey on the exciting task of harnessing real-world expertise and AI to better understand global geopolitical complexities. |
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PASI ERONEN WATTPasi supports Mission Grey with valuable expertise in information and influence operations, strategic analysis, and geopolitical risk. He has worked in European diplomatic service, international think-tanks, and both civilian and military roles with NATO, OSCE, and EU missions. His career spans Finland's defense establishment and governmental organizations, where he specialized in comprehensive security analysis and hybrid threat assessment. |
Jay TannonJay is a highly accomplished business lawyer based in Washington D.C., with extensive expertise in private equity and M&A, and has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America for 25 consecutive years. He brings decades of experience as a principal investor, developer, and strategic advisor in infrastructure projects, with a focus on natural resources and renewable energy. Jay has held leadership roles in numerous business and civic organizations and serves on several advisory boards. |
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Markus is an entrepreneur, CEO and investor with a global background. Born in Sweden and raised across the world, he holds a degree in business and technology and brings a truly international perspective to innovation and growth. Based in Silicon Valley, Markus is a serial entrepreneur who has founded and led companies in music, fintech, and AI, scaling them to global markets. An extreme endurance runner, Markus starts his day with a half marathon and often logs 100 km on weekends. At Mission Grey, he brings not only his high-performance mindset but also deep experience in building globally scalable, data-driven product businesses. |
Aalto University
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University of Cambridge
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Tampere University
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Americas: Venture X, Arlington, VA United States |
Europe & Middle-East & Africa: La Défense, Puteaux France |
Asia: Raffles Place Singapore |
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