Ms Maria Rautavirta is Director of Data Business Unit at the Ministry of Transport and Communications Finland. Maria is responsible on the strategic development of horizontal data economy initiatives and regulative framework including the establishment of EU internal market for data as outlined in the Data Strategy. Maria is a strong advocate for MyData and believes that releasing the power of data through interoperable EU-wide internal market and infra-structure for data – which also addresses the need to empower citizens’ with better tools to manage their data – we can enable broader digitalization. Liberating and balancing rights to data is the key to competition, innovation and use of technologies such as automation and AI for the benefit of business, people and societies. During the past years, Maria has been working with the Finnish National Digital Compass and new coordination mechanism of the Finnish Government in digital, data and cyber affairs. The Digital Compass of Finland outlines the Government level strategic goals and means to achieve the targets for EU towards 2030 and keep Finland in the lead for DESI also in the coming years. It also establishes the government goals on the data infrastructures needed to achieve those goals as the goal Data Economy is nothing less than to ensure that “The Finnish data economy is a global pioneer in 2030.”
Director, Data Business Unit, Ministry of Transport and Communications