Industry: Financial Services
Personnel: 200
Customer since: 2023
Status: Under the direct supervision of the European Central Bank
Mandate: Financing municipalities and socially sustainable public housing in Finland
Use case: Enterprise Automation
Why Frends?
MuniFin selected Frends iPaaS not just as a tool, but as a long-term strategic partner. From compliance to innovation, the collaboration has delivered clear results with even greater potential ahead.
Despite its compact size, MuniFin operates a sophisticated network of systems—driven by regulatory requirements and the critical nature of its services.
Yet, their previous integration platform had begun to show signs of strain: development was discontinued, API capabilities were insufficient, and documentation lacked the clarity needed for long-term efficiency.
“We’re a small team, but due to regulations, we run a complex system landscape. We needed a partner that could help us modernize for the long-term,” — Juha Volotinen, CIO at MuniFin
At the heart of the challenge was a need to:
Juha Volotinen’s role as CIO has evolved beyond traditional IT operations. As he sees it, the CIO’s job is no longer just about keeping systems running—it’s about enabling the organization’s digital capabilities and becoming a strategic partner to the business.
“The role of the CIO has changed. We’re no longer just maintaining infrastructure. We’re steering strategic technology investments that support the organization’s goals.” — Juha Volotinen
He emphasizes communication as a core responsibility: keeping all stakeholders informed, aligned, and involved in the process.
MuniFin conducted a thorough RFI/RFP process. Frends emerged as the clear choice due to its modern architecture, cost transparency, and compliance with European data residency standards.
“We chose Frends because of its promising roadmap, solid capabilities, and a pricing model that made sense. It was a one-stop shop without needing additional components,” — Juha Volotinen, CIO at MuniFin
Key decision factors:
The collaboration with Frends kicked off with a major platform renewal initiative. The objective: retire the old system and deploy a sustainable platform that supports the organization’s future ambitions.
“Frends was instrumental during the transformation. We didn’t even need an external systems integrator, they handled the onboarding and scaling with agility.” — Juha Volotinen, CIO at MuniFin
With Frends, MuniFin now:
With the Frends platform in place, MuniFin is now exploring the potential of AI, not as a buzzword, but as a practical enabler.
“AI will not replace the CIO, but it will elevate our function. It will help us automate routine work and speed up service delivery. We’re closely following how AI Agents can leverage platforms like Frends, by calling APIs, triggering workflows, and orchestrating integrations, to deliver real business value.” - Juha Volotinen
His focus is clear: adopt AI responsibly, with transparency, and with the goal of increasing efficiency while maintaining the trust of both regulators and customers.
“Communicate, communicate, communicate. Get the business buy-in early and don’t skip planning—most issues stem from a lack of clarity and alignment at the beginning.” — Juha Volotinen
MuniFin (Municipality Finance Plc) is one of Finland’s largest credit institutions. The owners of the company include Finnish municipalities, the public sector pension fund Keva and the State of Finland. The Group’s balance sheet is over EUR 53 billion.
MuniFin builds a better and more sustainable future with its customers. MuniFin’s customers include municipalities, joint municipal authorities, wellbeing services counties, corporate entities under their control, and non-profit organisations nominated by the Centre for State-Subsidised Housing Construction. Lending is used for environmentally and socially responsible investment targets such as public transportation, sustainable buildings, hospitals and healthcare centres, schools and day care centres, and homes for people with special needs.
MuniFin’s customers are domestic but the company operates in a completely global business environment. The company is an active Finnish bond issuer in international capital markets and the first Finnish green and social bond issuer. The funding is exclusively guaranteed by the Municipal Guarantee Board.