When Salla started at Citycon in the trainee program in 2013, she did not imagine that more than ten years later she would be leading the commercial development of Citycon’s urban hubs. Today, she is responsible for strengthening the business and creating long-term value across the Nordics. Over the years, Citycon has become a meaningful workplace for Salla, and her career path has included courageous decisions, continuous learning, impressive achievements, and collaboration with fantastic professionals across the organization.
Salla’s career at Citycon began during her final year of studies, when she joined the shopping centre operations trainee program. From there, she quickly moved into Shopping Centre Manager roles. She worked in these positions for about seven years, managing various centres in Finland and Sweden. After returning from Sweden, Salla transitioned to leading the commercial development of larger development projects. One of these was the reconstruction of the Lippulaiva centre in Espoo, a project in which Salla played a key role. The opening of the completely redesigned and newly built Lippulaiva was one of the major highlights of her career and a testament to strong teamwork. “The opening of Lippulaiva is a moment I will never forget. Seeing the completed centre made it clear what can be achieved through collaboration,” Salla recalls.
After the completion of the Lippulaiva project, Salla was offered new opportunities ranging from leading the commercialization of common areas and short-term leasing to developing property maintenance, security, energy efficiency, and other operational processes. “I greatly appreciate that Citycon has given me room to grow and take responsibility, which has encouraged me to challenge myself and expand my expertise in different roles,” Salla says.
One of the most significant and boldest turning points in Salla’s career occurred in early 2025, when she took on the role of Managing Director for Finland and Estonia: “It was a large and highly responsible role that challenged me and taught me a great deal.” From that role she advanced to her current position as VP Asset Management, where she is responsible for the commercialization of all Citycon’s centres. In her work, she focuses on identifying and leveraging additional revenue opportunities and strengthening the business holistically across markets. The versatility of the role, collaboration with teams in different countries, and the opportunity to view the business from a broad perspective are especially meaningful to Salla. “A desire to learn and a genuine interest in the industry have taken me far and supported in delivering results. I’m motivated by the opportunity to challenge myself and continuously develop my competence,” she explains.
Support and guidance from managers and colleagues have played a key role in Salla’s professional growth. They have shaped her thinking and built the foundation for her own leadership style which she has continued to refine in increasingly demanding roles. One piece of advice has stayed with her since the early stages of her career, when a close colleague reminded her of the importance of prioritization during busy times: “Every task can’t be a key priority; sometimes you must decide where to strive for excellence and where ‘good enough’ is sufficient,” Salla recalls. As a leader, Salla aims to build an environment where it is safe to ask questions, challenge one another, and set the bar high. She believes that clear prioritization helps the team focus on what matters the most and succeed together. “Indeed, not everything can be a top priority,” she adds smiling.
Salla encourages professionals interested in the real estate industry and shopping centres to pursue opportunities at Citycon. Owning and managing the properties makes the work diverse and enables involvement in everything from decision-making to practical execution. Decision-making at Citycon is straightforward and agile, which has been important to Salla. For her, people are a key reason why Citycon is such an enjoyable place to work. The workplace consists of skilled and committed professionals, with whom collaboration extends naturally beyond work as well. “While the work itself is highly interesting, it’s ultimately the people who make it meaningful,” Salla concludes.
Finland, Espoo
