Mika Mäkilaakso to handle Genelec Asian sales
Published: ASIA
ASIA: Genelec has promoted former domestic sales manager Mika Mäkilaakso to handle its sales in key Asian territories including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and Vietnam. Mr Mäkilaakso will be based in Tokyo, where he is currently relocating from his native Finland.
Prior to his promotion Mr Mäkilaakso, a musician and audio enthusiast in his spare time, spent two years as a domestic sales manager for Genelec in Finland, a position he acquired following a stint with a leading Finnish distribution company. Before entering the industry he spent four years studying music production in Helsinki.
Speaking of his new role, Mr Mäkilaakso enthused: ‘It’s going to be a very interesting task and there are a lot of opportunities that we can seek out. There’s a lot of growth for us to have in these countries.’ He added that education both inside and outside of the industry will be a priority in his role: ‘I take it very seriously and I’m looking forward to expanding it in Asia.’
According to Genelec’s Lars-Olof Janflod, the appointment represents a significant step in how the loudspeaker manufacturer will address Asian customers. ‘It’s a natural progression – to be able to get to the next level we need to have our own people on the ground here who are much closer to the market than we have been before.’
Speaking specifically of Mr Mäkilaakso, he added: ‘Mika is a very social person, he speaks English fluently and he is learning Japanese. In the years that he’s been working with us in Finland he’s proven to be very technically up to date. He really fits the bill very well.’