Teuvo Sankila is a former mathematics and information technology teacher who has worked in the Finnish educational field over 20 years. His professional journey has taken him from developing the first steps of ICT in learning for Otava, to developing digital workflows in the field of publishing for PrePress Studio, all the way to spreading ICT to Finnish Schools for Microsoft. This is his third period with Otava. For the last six years, he has worked as a publishing director for Otava Publishing Company, managing the whole of educational publishing and leading the change from print to digital. He has also been 5 years chairman of the European Educational Publishers Group (EEPG) and he is a member of the board of Otava Publishing Company and a chairman of the educational publishers’ workgroup in Finnish Publishers Association.
Teuvo Sankila will be speaking at LBF’s What Works? Successful Publishing Resources & Technologies for the Future conference on Tuesday 14 March, Olympia Conference Centre, London.
Teuvo’s twitter account is @teuvo.
What was the last book you read?
Suomen historia (Finnish history) by Petri Tamminen. Short and funny stories about memories from decades. Finland is celebrating it’s 100 years of independence this year.
Tell us what you/your company does in 20 words.
I come from Otava Publishing company, Education. We are one of the leading learning material publishers in Finnish educational field. Both digital and print.
What do you like about your job?
I have a passion to change the world of learning. For me, it is very important to be part of a publishing company that is aiming to offer better learning. Future of learning is my goal.
What is the single biggest challenge facing the publishing industry right now?
In educational business, it is about what you are selling. You have to notice that in digital business you are not selling products (books) anymore, you are changing your business to sell learning services. That means that you also have to rethink the whole customer service. It also gives you opportunities to sell other services.
Does the publishing industry understand technology?
Yes and no. There is too much fear in the air. For educational publishing, technology is a solution for many things that we haven’t had the possibility to do before. Now it is possible for learners to get more feedback on their skills. And the change still we are taking our first steps.
Name your favourite app and why?
Right now I am using Lifelog app. It came with my Sony Xperia and it is measuring my life. I am my own big data.
What would be the title of your autobiography?
“A Man with passion.”
What is the silliest thing you have on your desk?
I have there on 25 cm tall terracotta soldier.
When was your first London Book Fair (LBF)?
2010.
What is the one essential item you bring to the Fair?
I will be there in the What Works? conference. Telling about how publishers managed to make the change from print to digital in educational publishing.
What piece of advice would you give first-timers at the Fair?
Open your eyes, open your mind, meet new people and be inspired.