Exploring the journey is more interesting than the ultimate destination, as is often said. We learn about ourselves along the way, follow our emotions, and understand how to make our vision a reality!
Here is an outstanding story of an inspiring businessperson who has made significant contributions to the innovative advertising industry and is admired for doing so. In his quest to change the world, Eka Ruola, Chief Creative Officer at Nitro Group, has been rediscovering and strengthening himself. He declares, “I have always been passionate about creative advertising, and entering this field has given wings to my dreams.”
The Inc. Magazine found his profile perfectly in tune with the tone of this special issue. His reputation has allowed him to bag recognition and rewards from the following business magazines for being an inspiring leader:
Eka is among the most honoured creative directors in Finland, both nationally and internationally. All of the main award ceremonies, including Cannes Lions, Clio Awards, London International, Golden Drum, The One Show, and the Effies, have recognised his work. He frequently serves on juries and speaks at events for the industry held all over the globe. The Internationalist’s Agency Innovator Award was given to Ruola in 2015 in New York. The 52-year-old creative leader Eka is well-known for his lengthy leadership of Hasan & Partners Group, a 30-year-old creative powerhouse in the Nordics.
In 2020, he departed Hasan & Partners after working there for years, the last nine of which he spent as CEO and ECD. He made the decision that the third act should begin. So, he bought the majority stake in a Finnish hybrid agency called Nitro Group to get back to the creative business arena in April 2021—and challenge the big players on the market with a new kind of setup. “I fell in love with creative advertising when I was just 6 years old. The enthusiasm is still present. When I was a young man and joined Hasan & Partners, the hottest creative firm in Helsinki, my career underwent a significant turning point“, shared Eka Ruola
Eka studied marketing in the Turku School of Economics, which is his intellectual home. The New 4 P’s of Marketing, which was released by Alma Talent in April 2021, is Eka’s first marketing book and was written over the course of the year of the pandemic.
Nitro Group at a Glance
Located in Helsinki and Turku, Finland, Nitro is a distinctive marketing firm that embraces the complicated world of marketing and recognises its infinite potential.
Eka Ruola is the chief creative officer and majority owner of Nitro Group, a hybrid creative agency. The hybrid strategy Nitro is built upon enables it to challenge the market with a setup that emphasises all the dimensions of the trade. It has a strong presence in the market for marketing and brand strategy, imaginative storytelling, digital know-how, and production. A true one-stop store of the highest calibre with all four dimensions in place for a picky customer. The team of experts at Nitro is incredibly talented, knowledgeable, and entertaining.
Nitro stands out as a player in the market due to its hybrid strategy and solid self-sufficiency in each field. For instance, when it comes to strategic understanding, creativity, and digital expertise, they consistently receive high marks from customers. This is truly unique. For the future, the visionary leader is looking very much forward to the Nitro people and Nitro’s clients accomplishing something they did not expect to be able to do. And then repeat that.
Eka’s Unique Leadership Approach Directly from his Mouth
The vital point here is my personal objective, which I set down a few years ago. It states that I want others around me to have the most exciting professional life as possible. This means that I work hard to present them with fascinating and difficult briefs. And perhaps I can help them with both the strategy and the creative aspects of it.
To me, people are everything. And I make every effort to create a culture of compassion in which they can excel!
Nitro’s Team Structure
Eka Ruola is a firm believer in setting the bar high. It’s not a one-man show, though. Some companies employ excellent workers. For example, Eka has three outstanding creative directors who collaborate with him and the team to create magic plus many other skilled experts. There are two components to it: a creatively led operation that strives for the stars and an HR-driven infrastructure to support both teams and individuals
Overcoming the Major Industry Hurdles
Eka asserts that “The biggest difficulty at the moment is the blurry vision of the future due to the protracted economic crisis.” He combats this by just abstaining from all aspects of the recession. One merely needs to look for it; there is business out there.
Eka’s Future Goals
In addition to his professional goals, Eka also wants to be the best possible father to his son. And the most supportive, loving, and caring spouse.
In addition, he retains a tremendous affinity for his home nation, Finland. He envisions the incredible success of Finnish businesses and brands. Eka is quite certain that marketing may be extremely beneficial. And he’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen