From Espoo to Paris – building an international legal career 

I grew up in Tapiola, Espoo, and was initially keen on technology. I started my studies in engineering at what is now Aalto University. Quite quickly I realised that law was where I truly belonged, so I began studying law alongside my technical studies. The combination of analytical thinking, problem-solving and understanding how organisations function immediately resonated with me. 

Early in my career, I worked at a law firm, which I still describe as an intense but invaluable learning experience. I then spent 12 years in Paris, where I worked at a listed company and raised our three daughters before our family moved back to Finland. After these years, I joined KPMG. Consulting felt like the right combination for me – close to business, strategy and forward-looking planning. I have always been drawn to being tightly linked to the client’s business environment. 

Choosing Deloitte for truly integrated collaboration 

After reflecting on my next career step, Deloitte stood out as the right platform: a consulting-led organisation where international collaboration is part of everyday life. That’s where I’ve felt most at home. The integrated collaboration has kept me in consulting all these years – you get to work with people from many backgrounds, look at situations from different angles and jointly build solutions that give the client a completely different level of support. 

I started at Deloitte Legal in January 2026. Since then, the team has grown significantly and continues to expand. Many people in Finland think of Deloitte primarily as a consulting firm and only from a local market perspective. When you realise that globally there are around half a million people in the organisation, your view changes – internationally, the scale is on a completely different level.

Legal as a strategic partner in a changing world 

I want legal to be seen as a strategic partner in client development and business growth. Legal absolutely plays a role in opportunity creation and in enabling businesses to shine – not just in mitigating risk. This is where Deloitte’s advisory led integrated model becomes a critical advantage. One of our strategic priorities is to fully leverage the firm’s breadth. Our lawyers understand clients’ challenges and business environments broadly, because we work side by side with finance, strategy, technologyand other teams. 

There is a real shift underway – from traditional legal services and brick-and-mortar thinking towards technology-enabled and sector-driven legal solutions. On top of the core services, we are building strong capabilities in technology law and AI. These are highly visible and nationally important topics – and we have an exceptionally strong team in these areas.

AI tools can make many tasks more efficient, but they will never replace human judgement – if anything, subject-matter legal expertise and the ability to critically assess output have become even more important. At the same time, I believe we must continue investing in early-career talent so that they learn both how to build strong legal fundamentals and how to use new AI tools to enhance their work wisely.

Leadership built on trust, ownership and ambition

My leadership philosophy is grounded in trust, ownership and ambition. I want to give people responsibility, support them in seeing their own potential and set high yet inspiring goals for us as a team. Deloitte is, in my view, an excellent place if you want a strong business angle, international opportunities and a culture with low hierarchy and a genuine sense of being part of a team.

Being asked to take on the role of Head of Legal at Deloitte is one of the milestones I am most proud of. Equally formative has been the long period I spent living and working abroad – it has broadened my perspective in ways I’m very grateful for. My advice to my younger self still captures much of my philosophy: “Think carefully about where you’re at your best – and have the courage to focus on that." 

What didn’t you know about Annukka?  

The podcast I most recently listened to: The Lawyer's Edge. Nice, business‑driven discussion about legal topics.

A secret skill that doesn't appear on my CV: Horses. I’ve had horses all my life and I’ve competed at the national team level in showjumping. I still ride occasionally and it's a great way to unwind from work. 

My "happy place" in the world:  Paris. It feels like a second home. It’s a fascinating place – busy and dynamic, yet at the same time very much about enjoying everyday life. It’s complete chaos, but still somehow incredibly aesthetic.