About
Jani is a tech executive with a proven track record of growing, transforming and scaling regional and global businesses. With over 20 years of experience in sales and partnerships, Jani has spent the last 15 years at Google leading the key business functions in Europe and in the US. Jani currently heads the Global Search Partnerships business at Google and he is a 7 x winner of the Gold and Platinum Awards at Google. Jani is an Honored Listee in Marquis Who’s Who in America and Marquis Top Executives in America and his leadership has been recognized with several international awards incl. the Stevie® Award, Global Recognition Award™, Noble Award and TITAN Award. Outside of work, Jani is a successful athlete. He is a world-class Taekwondo Champion and two-time Ironman All World Gold Athlete, ranking in the top 2% of his age group globally.
Jani Hirvonen
Published content
expert panel
It’s often the small, everyday habits that cause the biggest frustrations at work. While technical skills and polished communication matter, it’s self-awareness that often sets people apart as strong teammates and effective leaders. Still, plenty of professionals fall into patterns—like talking over others, missing details, or failing to follow through—that make collaboration harder than it needs to be. These habits might seem harmless in the moment, but over time, they can lead to confusion, slow progress, and strained working relationships. To that end, 20 Fast Company Executive Board members share the business protocol pet peeves they wish more people would recognize (and overcome) to create a more respectful, productive workplace.
expert panel
While inspiration and influence are both powerful tools, they don’t always mean the same thing or lead to the same results. At their core, both inspiration and influence aim to move people—but how they do so, and what follows, can vary dramatically. For leaders, choosing between (or balancing) the two can shape not only how others respond, but also how trust, motivation and lasting impact are built. Some see inspiration as the deeper force, igniting internal purpose, while others view influence as the practical key to decision-making and action. Below, 20 members of Fast Company Executive Board share how they view the distinction between inspiration and influence, and which they believe carries more weight in effective leadership.
expert panel
Businesses facing persistent workforce gaps must adopt smarter, more adaptive strategies to stay competitive. Hiring freezes. Burned-out teams. Critical roles left unfilled for months. Labor shortages are forcing business owners to rethink how work gets done—and fast. Some are turning to automation while others are reshaping roles or tapping into overlooked talent sources. What they share is a willingness to act decisively and restructure for impact. To help you find your edge, 16 Fast Company Executive Board members reveal the strategies that are helping them close workforce gaps and keep momentum strong.
Company details
Company bio
Google is an American multinational technology corporation known for its search engine, online advertising, and various other products and services. It is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc and has offices around the world serving a global user base.