Jari Kukkonen started to manage EBS Executive Education in January. Kukkonen has been involved with Executive Education since 2019, when he started working as the leading lecturer of the Executive MBA programme. Previous manager of EBS Executive Education Peep Aaviksoo will continue to focus on executive coaching.
Jari Kukkonen has worked for more than 20 years as an international consultant, manager and entrepreneur. He has consulted in both private and public sector organisations in Estonia and abroad regarding strategic management, innovation and change management, LEAN management and product/service development.
Kukkonen identifies English-language development programmes as his most important plans regarding Executive Education. “It is extremely important to us that we are able to offer further training that can compete with the rest of the world,” said Kukkonen. “It also means that we enable development opportunities for those who have perhaps settled in Estonia temporarily. We have already taken several actions to this end.” In this regard, Kukkonen refers to a wide-ranging faculty, internationally recognised certificate programmes and the development of training programmes with longterm experience.
Experience in Quality Award assessment in Finland and on the European stage gives Kukkonen a good overview regarding the current state of Estonian management culture. “The managers’ quick learning and readiness for development is important for the success and continuity of the organisation,” said Kukkonen. Furthermore, he adds that the nature of work has changed and therefore management needs to change accordingly in a more holistic direction.
Kukkonen has received a Master’s degree from York Saint John University in innovation and change management. He has written a book entitled "Läbimurre. Äriprotsesside pidev täiustamine" (Breakthrough. Continuous Improvement of Business Operations) (Äripäev Publishing Company, 2012), edited a book entitled "Enesehindamise käsiraamat" (EAS) and is the chief editor of "Äripäeva Tootmise Teabevara". Kukkonen’s clients include large, well-known companies and local, rapidly growing companies. Jari has advised ministries in the public sector both in Estonia and abroad and has advised their subsidiary bodies and constitutional institutions. Jari has advised ministries, hospitals and health service providers in the public healthcare sector. Kukkonen has been an evaluator of Quality Award in Finland and Europe and has also trained Quality Award evaluators in Estonia.
Peep Aaviksoo has been the manager of Executive Education for the past 10 years and his focus is now mostly on executive coaching as he is one of the founders of the EBS Executive Coaching Centre. Aaviksoo has been a certified Executive Coach since 2012, an ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC) since 2014 and an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) since 2018. Aaviksoo is a certified expert of Team Coaching International and a certified consultant of Hogan Assessment Systems.
Contacts:
Jari Kukkonen: jari.kukkonen@ebs.ee
Peep Aaviksoo: peep.aaviksoo@ebs.ee
