You have worked for EMT/Telia in the past. How is working for TalTech different from working in the business sector?

The TalTech team is very close. For example, the marketing and communications team consists of 14 people and there are 10 people in other colleges and teams. Based on my experience at the university, I believe that such a co-existence of marketing and communications works very well. For example, in organising the 100th anniversary of TalTech, we witnessed how important good teamwork is.

If tasks are more structured and targeted, people focus more only on their goals and do not feel like they are part of a team.

In TalTech, marketing is very diverse and integrated in terms of channels. In order to introduce to young people the new curricula and their importance, different marketing methods must be implemented, e.g. digital and event marketing.

What is the biggest challenge in leading a team?

It is important to keep people motivated about development and keep on pushing through – this way, people will be more excited to work harder. Here, more excitement can be seen than in some sales-oriented business organisations.

Development starts from the top of the organisation – does the university have the desire to develop further? At the moment, it fortunately does. The curricula are undergoing major changes and the university is becoming internationally more ambitious. Therefore, marketing is becoming more and more important.

After big events, such as the anniversary and the launch of the new brand, the team would like to take a break. As a team leader, you have to be able to inspire the team with new ambitions. If the organisation offers this motivation, the team leader’s work is easier.

What did you learn from the name change process of TalTech? How can an organisation change its name and maintain the loyalty of its people?

We are still working on this project. We will change and develop for a few more years. The official transition period will last another year. We still need to introduce all kinds of new materials and document forms, etc.

Discussion is a part of it and we are still discussing different things. At the anniversary events, we received feedback from people that they now see the university as a whole. Brand and reputation are very important for the university: all international ratings take these into account.

The most important thing is for you and your team to believe in the changes and what you do. You have to do your job well and with passion. You also need courage.

I do not think we would have succeeded if young people had not liked the name TalTech. Luckily, they did. We worked hard for this and we also involved young people in the process. Being relevant for the young is not easy – many well-known brands find it a challenge.

Do you consider yourself a team leader or a marketing expert? Many marketing executives in large enterprises have said that most of their energy goes into managing people and their marketing competence tends to disappear in the process.

Currently, I would describe myself as a ‘brand expert’. I think that all leaders of larger teams feel that they grow distant from marketing. You must be familiar with the general trends and help to make big decisions, such as evaluating and selecting an agency.

When I came to work for the university, I had to familiarise myself with the service we offer and how we talk about it. I had to learn how to trust others, participate in trainings, and find the right partners who want to develop with me.

On the photo: TalTech team - first row from left to right: Krõõt Nõges, Press Officer; Sten Kalder, Event Marketing Officer; Merilin Vahersalu, Sales and Marketing Specialist, Epp Joala, Chief Strategic Communications Officer; Elena Kirt, Chief Officer of Alumni Association; Anne Muldme,Head of Marketing and Communications; Renna Tõniste, International Marketing and Communications Officer; Diana Aljas, Brand Manager.

Back row from left to right - Mari Öö Sarv, Editor-in-Chief of Publications; Janno Jõulu, Head of E-Channels; Helen Tamm, Internal Communications Officer; Kadri Talvistu, Chief Web Editor; Martin Kriisemann, Marketing Specialist.

Missing from the photo - Anu Teder, Graphic Designer.