Ulla Hemminki-Reijonen appointed as Funidata’s Head of Product Management and Project Delivery
Ulla Hemminki-Reijonen joins Funidata in a new leadership role. Read how the role supports Funidata’s growth, product development and use of AI.
Funidata is combining the leadership of product management and project delivery into a new Chief Product & Delivery Officer role. Ulla Hemminki-Reijonen has been appointed to the role and will join Funidata from the University of Helsinki. She will be responsible for the functionality and roadmaps of Funidata’s products, as well as project delivery. Her remit will also include the use of artificial intelligence in Funidata’s products and the development and scaling of the operating model for implementation projects at higher education institutions.
Hemminki-Reijonen will take up her post on 17 August 2026 and will serve as a member of Funidata’s executive team.
“Two factors are crucial to Funidata’s growth: how quickly we can integrate the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence into the functionality of our products, and how effectively we can scale the implementation of our systems across higher education institutions. That is why we have brought the leadership of product management and project delivery under a single area of responsibility. Ulla Hemminki-Reijonen brings a rare and strong combination of expertise to this role: experience in product management, expertise in artificial intelligence and an understanding of the higher education sector from a customer perspective. I am delighted that she is joining Funidata’s executive team,” says Mikko Myllys, CEO of Funidata.
Strong experience in product management, AI and higher education
Hemminki-Reijonen currently leads four teams at the University of Helsinki specialising in educational technology infrastructure and innovation, as well as the university’s MOOC centre. The expert teams she leads are responsible for digital learning environments and assessment solutions across 11 faculties, as well as artificial intelligence services, educational media, and the development and support of the Sisu system. Through her current role, she has developed a strong understanding of digital services in the Finnish higher education sector and their development.
Hemminki-Reijonen has over 15 years’ experience in product development and management in the software and EdTech sectors, including at Innofactor and Sanoma Media Finland. Serendip, a game-based, multidisciplinary sustainability course using AI characters, which she led, was recognised by Business Finland and AI Finland as the Creative AI Implementation of the Year 2024. She has served as an expert in working groups organised by, amongst others, UNICEF’s Global Learning Innovation Hub and the European Commission on educational technology and AI in education and was named to AI Finland’s KärkinAIset list in 2025. Hemminki-Reijonen holds a Master of Education (Technology, Innovation and Education) from Harvard University and a Master of Arts from the University of Helsinki.
Bringing AI into the everyday life of higher education
“Integrating artificial intelligence into the day-to-day life of a higher education institution has shown that the greatest value is created when solutions are developed together with students and teachers to meet real needs. A good example of this is the AI-based patient simulation exercises we have developed, which now allow medical students to practise consultation scenarios online in a way that was not previously possible. I see a great deal of potential in how AI can make student administration services more accessible and streamline system support processes when solutions are developed with a user-centred approach and their implementation is guided by pedagogical objectives,” says Hemminki-Reijonen of her expectations for artificial intelligence.
Mari Riihiaho to leave Funidata
Mari Riihiaho, Funidata’s long-standing Chief Product Officer, has agreed with the company to leave Funidata. Funidata thanks Riihiaho for the significant work she has carried out over the past ten years for the Finnish higher education sector, the Sisu SIS and Funidata, and wishes her every success.
Riihiaho thanks her colleagues, customers and partners for the past years: “Our collaboration has been meaningful to me, and through it we have together created something of value for the education sector that we can all be proud of. Bold decisions and a shared sense of purpose can lead even public procurement projects to successful outcomes. Building on these foundations, we are well placed to continue the digitalisation of the education sector and strive to be among the best in the world in this field!”
Additional information:
Mikko Myllys
CEO, Funidata Ltd.
+358 50 414 3283 / mikko.myllys(at)funidata.fi
Ulla Hemminki-Reijonen (starting from 17.8.2026)
Chief Product & Delivery Officer, Funidata Ltd.
+358 40 528 7556, ulla.hemminki-reijonen(at)funidata.fi
More information about Funidata:
Funidata Ltd is a company owned by Finnish higher education institutions that develops smart and sustainable digital services for the evolving needs of learners and the education sector. The company’s flagship product is the Sisu student information system, a cloud-native SaaS solution delivered via the AWS public cloud, used by over 160,000 students and experts in Finland. Funidata advances the future of learning by developing solutions that support the operations of the education sector, student success, and data-driven decision-making.