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Studies helped becoming independent and finding own direction

‘During high school, I already knew that I wanted to study at the School of Business (then Helsinki School of Economics). My family was living in Turku at the time and I wanted to become independent, so the move from Turku to the capital region offered a good opportunity for that. I also felt that the School of Business would offer a variety of options after graduation,’ Ma says.

What stands out most in his study experience is the first-year course on the basics of industrial engineering, where there was an exceptionally good teacher. The course and its exam were known for their difficulty, and the teacher gave a lot of tasks during the course. ‘I chose Business Technology as my major subject based on this course, as I believed it would be the most beneficial for me in the future.’

'It was a really exciting time as I was very young, especially since in China, experience gained through age is highly valued. I remember one interpreting session I participated in with the then Minister of Economic Affairs Jan Vapaavuori. On the other side of the table was China’s then Minister of Technology Wan Gang, and after the negotiation, he came to speak to me and wondered aloud that I was very young for such a role,' Ma recalls.

'These years were truly educational from the perspectives of work content, networks and diplomatic behaviour. My own confidence grew and now it feels like I faced all my nerves back then, so I no longer need to be nervous about new situations,' Ma explains.

Boosting the growth of businesses in the South Karelia region

Ma has lived in Lappeenranta for eight years. At first, he worked at the Regional Council of South Karelia, responsible for relations with Asia. He has been in his latest position as Head of Economic Development for three and a half years. 'My area of responsibility included business services for the city of Lappeenranta, marketing and communication, tourism and events, international relations and higher education cooperation as well as advocacy. I act as the leader of the management team for these areas, and through this, there are weekly meetings with sector-specific teams,' he explains.

One of the most personally rewarding things in Ma’s career has been the launch of the South Karelia venture capital fund while working as Head of Economic Development. This has been worked on for over two years and now, the fund’s size of 3.25 million euros has been successfully collected.

New era of leadership in Savonlinna

At the time of the interview, Ma was working as Head of Economic Development of the city of Lappeenranta, but from the beginning of March 2026, he will start as the Mayor of Savonlinna.

‘Recently, I had not even thought about wanting to further build my career in the public sector and I particularly enjoyed my current job as Head of Economic Development. The work has felt sufficiently broad and diverse, with a suitable balance between personnel management and stakeholder collaboration. Then, somewhat unexpectedly, I received a call from a recruitment consultant regarding the position of Mayor of Savonlinna, and for a while they enticed me to join. I then decided to agree and here we are! Above all, my decision has been influenced by the current state and the needs of the city of Savonlinna, and on the other hand also by the experience and expertise I have gained from my previous tasks,’ Ma explains.

‘Personally, I think I want to represent a new-era Mayor, with administration and finance as the "hard" core in one hand, but who also embodies a positive atmosphere and creator of faith in the future, as well as maintaining cooperation with businesses, universities and educational institutions. Furthermore, an important role is also advocating for the city's interests towards the Finnish government and the EU.’

‘I have learned the hard way to resource my own time management’

The leadership style in the municipal sector is becoming more modern, and openness and equal treatment are being increasingly valued. Ma says that he has learned a lot about personnel management during his career.

‘I found personnel management tasks challenging at the beginning of my first supervisory role and did not allocate enough time for this. This had to be learned the hard way and approached with the mindset that not all tasks are pleasant,’ Ma says.

An active contributor outside of work

Ma says that organisational activities are close to his heart. 'In 2022, I won the global speech competition of the Junior Chamber International – this was preceded by my victory in the Finnish speech competition and the European speech competition,' he says. The competition is a prestigious performance and speech skills competition that tests participants' ability to deliver a convincing speech on a given topic after a short preparation, while promoting internationality and leadership.

'It was a really meaningful experience, but it still feels quite absurd that the victory came to Finland. The last time Finland won a similar competition was in 1995,' Ma says. He is still an active member of the Junior Chamber in Finland, the Reserve Officers' Club and the Paasikivi Society. In addition, Ma's three-year-old son brings joy and activity to his days.

What advice would you give to current students?

'Take your time to make the most of what the university and the community have to offer. I was in a hurry to move forward and graduate, but in hindsight I didn't really need to rush that much. I remember the tutors saying in my first year that there's no rush to complete my studies, but I didn't want to believe them at the time,' Ma says.

'I also encourage you to practise your presentation skills, as you will need them in your career. You need to be able to argue your case to a large audience, and this isn't really taught anywhere else. The university is a safe environment to practise these skills.'

Learn more about Ding Ma's career !