The move comes as 3 Step IT announced it is beginning work to define its new vision for 2020. Chairman of the board, Jarkko Veijalainen, said: “We believe that the transformation of technology provides exceptional opportunities for developing 3 Step IT’s business. In order to take advantage of these opportunities, the group management team and board of directors have mutually come to the conclusion that the company needs to define long-term goals and a related strategic plan”.

With effect from this week, 3 Step IT’s chief operating officer and deputy managing director Keijo Vikkula will now serve as the acting CEO , while Ville Alanen will continue as the managing director of 3 Step IT in Finland.

Outgoing CEO Aurasmaa said: “I have enjoyed every day at 3 Step IT for the past fourteen years. It’s a great team, and we have achieved exceptional results. The company is in better shape than ever and I feel there would not be a better moment to step down as CEO. It’s the right time for me to seek new challenges.”

Aurasmaa joined 3 Step IT Group not long after the company’s formation and was promoted to the top management job in 2005 when just 30 years old, taking over from founder Jarkko Veijalainen who became chairman of the board. He had previously studied in the US and worked for at Merita Customer Finance (now Nordea Finance) as a finance specialist and as an analyst and project manager at Corporate Advisor Group.

Commenting on the management changes, Veijalainen said: “We are now entering the next phase of 3 Step IT’s development. Together Artti and I have achieved more than we could have ever dreamed of and we continue to share the same passion for the business. We also continue to believe in our team and our business model.”

3 Step IT was founded in Finland in 1997 and has shown strong and profitable growth ever since, with turnover in 2013 of €437m.