A conversation about collaboration, curiosity, and thriving in the fast-paced world of ad tech at Opera.

Q: Can you tell us a little about your role at Opera and what your day-to-day work as a Programmatic Account Manager looks like?

A: My role is a bit more technically focused than a traditional Account Manager position. At its core, my job is to help our clients and publishers grow. That means staying close to the numbers every day, understanding demand, spotting opportunities, and identifying where we can create additional value for our partners.

I also work closely with the technical side of the business. If an issue comes up, I naturally step in to investigate it, dive into the details, and help solve it. In programmatic, scaling isn’t always straightforward, so knowing where to look and how to approach a problem makes a big difference.

Over time, we’ve even built internal tools to make account management and project workflows smoother and more efficient. My previous experience across both sales and project-focused roles helps me keep a broad perspective. It also makes collaboration easier when teammates run into challenges, especially on the technical side.

Q: What originally attracted you to Opera, and what made you feel this was the right place for you?

A: Opera already had a strong reputation in the industry, a talented team, and significant scale within the RTB space. What stood out to me was the room for growth, both in terms of traffic opportunities and the ability to make an impact.

Coming from a more fast-paced and unconventional side of the market, the transition felt natural, but there was still so much to learn. That balance was exciting to me.

Q: Your role involves working closely with partners from all around the world. What do you enjoy most about those interactions and relationships?

A: International environments have always been a big part of my life. I studied International Business, spent time studying in Finland, and grew up in Russia, so being surrounded by different cultures has always felt natural to me.

That’s something I really value in my role at Opera as well. We work with partners from all over the world, and those relationships go beyond just business. You learn how people communicate differently, how markets operate, and how to adapt your approach depending on who you’re working with.

Travel is another part I really enjoy. I had opportunities to travel in previous roles too, but Opera has taken that experience even further. Recently, I attended a conference in the United States, and it was exciting to represent the company and connect with people from across the industry.

Q: I've heard you naturally thrive around people, whether it's speaking to audiences or sharing knowledge with others. Where does that passion come from?

A: I’m honestly not sure where it comes from - it’s always felt very natural to me. I enjoy breaking down complex ideas and explaining them in a way that feels simple and accessible. In many ways, I think I understand things better myself when I explain them to someone else, especially technical topics.

Sports probably played a role as well. I played basketball growing up and was often in leadership positions on the court. Performing under pressure and communicating quickly during games definitely helped shape those skills.

And having two sisters probably helped too.

Q: You recently had the opportunity to speak to Master’s students at the EU Business School partnership event about Opera's products and the ad tech industry. What did you enjoy most about sharing knowledge and inspiring younger generations entering the field?

A: It was a really interesting experience because, for the first time, I was sitting on the other side of the conversation.

I remembered attending lectures years ago in Finland where guest speakers shared practical, hands-on industry experience rather than just theory. Those sessions stayed with me, so it felt meaningful to now be able to offer something similar to students myself.

What impressed me most was how prepared and engaged the students were. Their questions were thoughtful, challenging, and genuinely curious. Some questions even pushed us into slightly uncomfortable territory, but in a good way, the kind that creates real discussion.

I appreciated how respectful and involved everyone was. It didn’t feel like a formal lecture; it felt like a real conversation.

Q: Outside of work, you spend time riding motorcycles and staying active through sports. How do those interests help you recharge and find balance?

A: I’ve always loved motorcycles, and in Barcelona, riding has naturally become part of my everyday routine. Compared to some of the larger cities I’ve lived in before, Barcelona feels much more manageable on two wheels, and I’ve really grown to love that lifestyle.

Beyond motorcycles, basketball is still a huge part of my routine. I play professionally in a local league, and I also play together with coworkers. The office culture at Opera is very active, everyone seems to have some kind of sport or activity they enjoy.

We also have a sports benefit card that gives access to different clubs and memberships around the city, so I like trying new things whenever I can. Sometimes we even organize group gym sessions together.

Q: Looking at your journey so far, what makes your experience at Opera personally meaningful beyond just the work itself?

A: For me, it really comes down to the people and the atmosphere. One thing that genuinely surprised me was how well the hybrid model works. I used to work fully remotely, so at first I wasn’t convinced about coming into the office two or three days a week. But very quickly, I started to see the benefits.

Being together in person makes collaboration faster, especially when solving technical challenges or moving projects forward quickly. There’s an energy that’s difficult to recreate remotely.

At the same time, Opera constantly exposes me to new experiences, markets, and perspectives. Because of my background, there’s always something new to learn or explore. Right now, for example, we’re working closely with our China team on different projects and figuring out the best ways to collaborate across time zones and workflows.

Those kinds of challenges keep things exciting. They push me to grow, both professionally and personally.