Esa Räihä’s journey with us began back in 1984, before he had even turned 30. Looking back on his long career as he enters retirement, a few memories stand out more than most – including the time he encountered ten-metre-long constrictor snakes during a customer visit.
Could you tell us about your career path within the company?
I originally joined because it was a large company with great career potential, knowing nothing about the industry. I started as a project/sales engineer, but since I spoke fluent Swedish, I moved into the role of Area Sales Manager for Sweden, and later for Scandinavia, before transitioning to Sales & Marketing Executive for Asia & Pacific.
Over the years, my roles have included Sales Director as well as Project Manager for builds in Germany and Portugal. This broad experience has been highly rewarding, giving me a great overview of the business and a deep understanding of what truly drives a project’s success.
What have you enjoyed most over the years at Recion?
For the most part, the customers have been very pleasant, and it’s always rewarding to win new clients. Unpleasant experiences have been few and far between. I’ve also enjoyed working with great teams, and happily, Recion is a workplace where many choose to stay long-term.
Do you have a memorable moment or a funny story you could share?
Before my first business trip to Sumatra, the travel agency was completely bewildered and warned me, “Whatever you do, don’t go there – it’s far too wild.” I ended up visiting several times a year. At certain production plants, there were high fences specifically to prevent apes and tigers from catching you by surprise.
After a long workday, we returned to the hotel and went for a swim in the pool. Suddenly, the hotel porter came running and shouting, “Get out of there quickly!” Apparently, ten-metre-long constrictor snakes were headed towards the pool, attracted by the splashing water. Thankfully, we got out safely, though we had quite a fright!
We are certainly glad you made it out of that pool safely! Thank you for your long, loyal and adventurous service, Esa. Happy retirement!
