A foresight expert who knows FIBRES inside out: Meet Sakari, our new Head of Customer Success & Foresight

We’re excited to welcome Sakari Nisula as the new Head of Customer Success & Foresight here at FIBRES. Sakari brings with him a rare combination of hands-on foresight expertise, academic depth in Futures Studies and international business development experience.

But perhaps even more uniquely, he joins us not just as a foresight expert, but as a long-time FIBRES user. “I’ve been using the FIBRES platform for over two years and have seen firsthand how valuable it can be in supporting foresight work,” Sakari says. “So when the opportunity came to join the team, it felt like the perfect next step. Moving from the client side to the solution provider side is a big and exciting shift, and it feels incredibly meaningful to contribute to a platform I genuinely believe in. I feel that with FIBRES I can make an impact in the field of foresight.”

Blending theory and practice to guide foresight work

Sakari’s journey into foresight started with a passion for big-picture thinking and trying to understand what’s next when future is considered. He studied Futures Studies at the Turku School of Economics and has since held research roles at world-class institutions like Oxford University’s Saïd Business School and Finland’s Futures Research Centre.

Most recently, Sakari worked at KONE as Senior Specialist in Strategic Foresight & Market Intelligence team, where he contributed to innovation and global strategy development work, and was selected for the company’s prestigious Global Emergent Leader program.

Through it all, Sakari built a reputation as a practical and inspiring communicator – someone who can distil uncertainty into clarity and futures thinking into action. He’s also a passionate keynote speaker with insightful perspectives on the future who thrives on engaging wider audiences.

With his background, it is natural for Sakari to engage with our customers in sharing experiences and helping them find success with foresight work: “The most valuable insights often come from unexpected places. For example, I’ve seen a tech-focused foresight project uncover sustainability opportunities that went on to shape a company’s strategic direction. I’ve also seen projects help teams align around bold, previously unconsidered ideas – sparking the basis for radical innovation. That’s the power of foresight. It might reveal what you didn’t even know to look for.”

Focused on what matters most: our users

As a foresight practitioner, Sakari often encountered familiar challenges: turning trend insights into action, engaging others meaningfully in the process, and making foresight an ongoing practice rather than a one-off effort.

That’s where FIBRES came in.

“The flexibility and usability stood out to me immediately. FIBRES really supports continuous foresight and enables the kind of collaborative action that’s often difficult to implement in practice. I was also consistently impressed with how the platform kept evolving, and most importantly, it was clear the FIBRES team listens to its users.”

Now, on the other side, Sakari is eager to help other teams succeed.

“With my background in futures studies and hands-on foresight experience, I want to help teams not only use FIBRES effectively but also build stronger, more impactful foresight approach for them.”

Helping foresight leaders to shine brighter

Sakari’s new role sits at the intersection of customer success and foresight—a space he sees as both strategic and deeply human.

“For me, customer success means helping our users create real impact with their foresight work in their organization. It’s not just about using the tool correctly, it’s about helping them build a process that not only influences decisions but also fosters shared understanding, sparks new possibilities for the future, and ultimately helps them become champions of foresight within their organization.”

He knows firsthand how valuable that can be and and how hard it can be to achieve without the right support. “I know how foresight and futures work can be overwhelming sometimes. So, I want our customers to feel supported, understood, and empowered – not overwhelmed.”

Looking ahead, Sakari sees exciting opportunities for making foresight more accessible and more actionable for a wider range of people and organizations. For those just getting started with foresight, Sakari offers some encouraging words: “Just start. Even a small step toward future-orientation can be meaningful. Begin by collecting and documenting interesting signals or trends, talk about what they might mean, and invite others into the conversation. You don’t need a perfect process to begin – just curiosity and a willingness to explore.”

What’s inspiring Sakari about the future right now?

As examples of emerging domains that are shape our future, Sakari is especially curious about quantum computing, the implications of AI-powered solutions, and the shift toward regenerative sustainability. “A lot of companies talk about net-zero goals, which are important – but that’s not the endgame. Rather, we should be asking: What comes after that? How do we move beyond minimizing harm to actually creating a net-positive impact?”

Sakari’s goal is simple: to help organizations prepare for change – not just to survive it, but to actively shape it for better, especially in the face of uncertain times. “When nothing is certain, anything is possible. That’s the mindset I want to help our customers embrace.”

Connect with Sakari

Sakari will be working closely with FIBRES customers and the broader foresight community to strengthen impact and build better futures.
Whether you’re running a foresight program, starting trend tracking for the first time, or simply curious about what the future might hold – we think you’ll enjoy getting to know him.

Welcome to the team, Sakari!

You can connect with Sakari on LinkedIn or reach out to say hello.