The People Behind SCILs

The people behind SCILs have an extensive international experience in business management and executive education. The synergy created through our blended backgrounds has developed SCILs into an international training center with unique offerings – innovative, global, and high impact management programs.

	Tomas Kurtén (Finland), President (member of the management team) Tomas is an innovative concept creator and business developer. In the past he has been involved as an executive in large scale projects and turnarounds in the international travel industry, and as a business advisor for a number of technology start ups. At SCILs he plays a central role in developing the firm's competitive edge.
	William Maxwell (US), Program development (member of the management team) Bill Maxwell is a Leadership and Organizational Studies professor and Communications Consultant with the University of Southern Maine. He is an experienced organizational development coach, process mediator, facilitator, diversity trainer, and professional speaker. At SCILs Bill is involved in developing innovative and high impact management programs.
	Dr. William S. Lightfoot (US), Academic Advisor (member of the management team) Bill Lightfoot has a background both in academia and business. He is currently the Dean of the Business and Mass Communication at Brenau University. He has an extensive business background as a marketing executive in the motion control industry in the United States. Bill has been involved in building both industrial firms and private business schools into successful, high quality players. At SCILs he makes use of his experience as a business school executive.
	Kalevi Hemilä (Finland), Chairman of SCILs Advisory Board Kalevi Hemilä has a wealth of experience from the political arena as well as from the business society. He is the former Minister of Agriculture, and he has been managing director of the Finnish Food and Drink Industries Federation and the Confederation of Finnish Industry and Employers. Today he is the CEO of Etera, Mutual Pension Insurance Company. Kalevi Hemilä plays a central role in mentoring the SCILs management team.
	Dan Ahlstedt (Finland), Member of SCILs Advisory Board Dan Ahlstedt, Nordic Chief Operation Officer of SAP, is a very successful executive with an outstanding track record. In addition to his background from SAP, he has extensive international business experience from companies like Tech Data and Computer 2000. His multidimensional role at SCILs includes anticipating business trends that open up new opportunities for growth.
	Tuomo Rekilä (Finland), Member of SCILs Advisory Board Tuomo Rekilä is the Vice President of Wireless Networks at Teleplan. He has an extensive experience in the IT industry and has held several senior positions in the last few years. He is known for his excellent capacity to quickly implement strategy into action, and he has brought these ideas into the SCILs way of thinking. As a member of the advisory board, he constantly builds new customer relationships for SCILs.

Educational Partnership

Our educational partner is ESCEM School of Business and Management.

The ESCEM is one of France’s Elite “Grandes Ecoles” of Business, accredited by the AACSB and the EQUIS, the two most prestigious business school accreditation bodies in the world.

Thanks to our partnership, ESCEM has a presence in the Nordic market and SCILs can offer an accredited and flexible MBA alternative to its alumni.