Bird & Bird LLP is delighted to announce the appointment of Sakari Halonen as partner of the global Tech & Comms group, based in Helsinki.
Sakari joins from Dittmar & Indrenius, where he was head of the Technology & Outsourcing practice group. He will co-head Bird & Bird's Finnish Tech & Comms group alongside existing head, Jesper Nevalainen.
He advises clients in IT and business process outsourcing (BPO) arrangements as well as on all aspects of IT systems procurement, software licensing, integration, development, distribution and related services and maintenance agreements. His practice to date has been focussed on the supply-side.
Sakari is also frequently engaged in M&A, with a particular focus on technology-related transactions and technology aspects in M&A in general.
This move will bolster the strategic move to achieve and maintain a practice in Helsinki which is known for, and substantially involved in, advising both supplier as well as customer side clients.
Graeme Maguire, Global Head of Bird & Bird's Tech & Comms group says: "I'm delighted to welcome Sakari, who is well known to many of us, as a key addition to our already strong Nordic Tech & Comms team. With Alex Shepherd joining the Singapore office in May, our market leading global Tech & Comms group is going from strength to strength."
Jesper Nevalainen, Head of Bird & Bird's Finnish Tech & Comms group says: "I'm very pleased to welcome Sakari to Bird & Bird. We now have the opportunity to build the Helsinki Tech & Comms group further, and progress beyond its historic supplier-side focus to develop a strong and balanced client base in both supplier-side and customer-side that fits better with, and is fully integrated into, the global Tech & Comms group and the strategy of the wider firm".
Sakari added: "I look forward to working closely with my new Bird & Bird colleagues in the Tech & Comms group in Finland, Sweden and Denmark to coordinate and drive forward sector initiatives across the Nordic region."
