Jorma Ollila
Executive Chairman
Nick Milanovich
Director | Innovation Services Group
I am a rare combination of scientist, speaker, and presentation coach, with a head for marketing and sales. Part scientist, part strategic thinker, working with me is like having a marketing director working in a science lab. However, starting out I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and my various positions, hobbies, and passions reflect that. Although one thing has never changed, I have taken every opportunity to learn more and solve problems others could not.
I was originally on a path to go to medical school, but I quickly realized that I couldn’t stand the sight of blood after doing volunteer work at a hospital. At the same time, I got a job in a medical research lab during my time at the University of Michigan and fell in love with science. This led me to earn a PhD in biophysical chemistry at Iowa State University. A reviewer of one of my papers stated that my work was “…well reached…” and that “…it should open up a new field of study in biophysics.” I thoroughly enjoyed my academic experience, but, shortly into my postdoctoral fellowship in ultrafast lasers at the University of Pennsylvania, I realized that I was done with academia and went into R&D for Colgate Palmolive making toothpaste for a living.
Every stage in my life has led me to new and exciting opportunities. As a scientist, I have published and presented on diverse technical topics such as clinical dentistry, cancer diagnostics, and quantum mechanical modeling of aerospace materials. As a speaker, coach, and marketer, I know how to tell you about science, can show you how to do it better than you have ever done before, and help you close that sale. My interests and curiosity have led me to jobs making toothpaste and testing toothbrushes for Sonicare, selling technical software to the aerospace industry, and becoming the marketing department for Weyerhaeuser’s cellulose fiber business. This unusual mix has led me to Xinova where I use my many years of experience in developing and marketing innovation to lead our partnership with PepsiCo.
When I am not translating complex data for large companies or busy overseeing the PepsiCo partnership, I like to restore old woodworking tools and build and restore guitars. I’ve built a couple of guitars so far and fixed up or hot rodded several others.