During his career Makkonen had worked in senior management positions such as the unit director at Nokia Network Professional Services, the president of Posti and Telecom Finland and later as the CEO of Finnet Oy.
In the 1980s, he led the mobile phone technology development group at Tele Finland which was later renamed Sonera.
Makkonen left his position as the CEO of information and communication technology of Anvia in November 2013 due to serious illness.
Makkonen was born in 1952 in Suomussalmi.
