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Tonis Trei, Technical Product and Technology Expert
Another month, another LINKer. Faces of LINK is excited to present you Tonis Trei, Technical Product and Technology Expert for the Finnish tech and support team.
Tonis was born on a typically cold and rainy April day in 1981 in Tallinn, Estonia. From an early age, he developed an interest in playing games on consoles and PCs. Back then, getting games to run often required some tinkering with computers, which sparked his passion for technology. In the early 2000s, he and some of his friends organized LAN parties in Estonia, with the largest events hosting around 500 participants. They even hosted official championships for the most popular games of the time.
How did you become interested in joining LINK, and what are the most rewarding aspects of your role?
I joined the company in 2007 when it was still called Aspiro. A close friend of mine worked there, and from his stories, it sounded like an amazing place to work. In 2011, LINK acquired Aspiro and merged it, rebranding the company as LINK Baltics.
Over the years, I’ve gained a wealth of industry-specific knowledge. Additionally, working closely with customers, partners, and operators has significantly enhanced my communication and diplomacy skills—areas where I initially felt I was lacking when I first joined.
What I find most rewarding is exceeding customer expectations, whether through the functionality of our services, our prompt support, or by offering valuable ideas to help them improve their existing solutions.
What are you most proud of in being part of the LINK team and what is your biggest accomplishment?
The people. I’m not sure how we manage to find such great individuals, but I’ve had amazing colleagues in every team I’ve worked with at LINK.
One of my proudest achievements was overseeing the LINK Baltics unit during a few years of company restructuring when we didn’t have a local Managing Director. During that time, I took on responsibilities outside my usual tech support role, such as managing day-to-day operations, signing new deals, creating annual budgets, invoicing, and reporting—tasks I had never handled before.
Which value at LINK resonates with you the most?
That would be 'United.' I see this mindset in many of the people around me—colleagues going the extra mile to address issues they’ve noticed, even if it’s not their responsibility. I see people being flexible during off-hours for emergencies and stepping up to volunteer for various tasks, all with the goal of making things better for everyone.
Can you tell us a fun fact about you?
In the early days at LINK, we had a company workshop in Norway with a buffet lunch that included a bowl of crayfish as appetizers. I’m a big fan of seafood, and since the company had already paid for catering, I felt it was my duty to make sure we got our money’s worth. So, I ended up eating all the crayfish they had—so much that the waitstaff had to refill the bowl several times. By the end, I had several plates piled high with shells, which caught people's attention. Some colleagues even took pictures. While a few might have been embarrassed by my bottomless appetite, I like to think I got maximum value out of the catering deal!
Who is your biggest inspiration within the Company?
I feel incredibly fortunate to have had such great direct supervisors throughout my time at the company. They’ve taught me many new things and served as a true source of inspiration, consistently leading by example.
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Tonis Trei is one of many passionate and hard-working individuals who helped LINK earn its place as an industry-leading CPaaS company. Keep an eye out for the next edition of #FacesofLINK, coming soon!