Consular Corps joined a very informative afternoon event at the headquarters of Finnfund and Finnfund, the Finnish governmental investing arms, in Helsinki.
We want to thank Mr. Jaakko Kangasniemi, CEO of Finnfund and Mrs. Birgitta Nevala, Program Director of Finnpartnership and whole team for your great hospitality and very interesting presentations.
Please note: Mr. Timo Palander, Hon. Consul of Namibia and Mr. Vesa Viitaniemi, Hon. Consul of Tanzania, will contact all the Honorary Consuls representing African continent in Finland for practical talks how to support Finnfund’s and Finnpartnership activities in the future.
Johan Grotenfelt, Dean of Consular Corps and Hon. Consul of Nicaragua, Mr. Vesa Viitaniemi, Hon. Consul of Tanzania and Mr. Timo Palander, Hon. Consul of Namibia, thanked Mr. Jaakko Kangasniemi, CEO of Finnfund and Mrs. Birgit Nevala, Program Director of Finnpartnership.
Consular Corps had a great pleasure to visit the HQ of Neste Corporation, one of the leading companies of sustainability in the world.
Mr. Johan Grotenfelt, Hon. Consul of Nicaragua and Dean of Consular Corps thanked Ms. Minna Aila for the wonderful event at Neste Corporation.
Thank you Ms. Minna Aila, Senior Vice President for interesting presentation and event.
Neste is transforming from a regional oli refiner to becoming a global leader in renewable and circular solutions, creating solutions for combating climate change and accelerating a shift to a circular economy. Neste helps transport and cities, as well as customers in the aviation, polymers and chemicals sectors, to make their business more sustainable. Neste is today Finland’s second largest company measured by market capitalization, and the 4th most sustainable company in the world in the Global 100 -ranking by Corporate Knights.
Finland is world-known of its education and Consular Corps had a chance to dive into the secrets of Finnish education with Ms. Marjaana Sall, Ambassador of Education at Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
She opened the discussion with a very interesting presentation ”Key elements of the Finnish education system and lessons learned on the move to distance learning during the pandemic. What role for digital learning for the future?”, followed by questions and discussions around education, policies, Finnish education export, skills and vocational training.
Big thanks to Ms. Marjaana Sall for such a interesting presentation and talks, thank you all participants!
Consular Corps in Finland was honored to have General Timo Kivinen, Chief of the Finnish Defense Forces as our special guest at this first luncheon in so long time. Forty participants were pleased to listen the speech of General Timo Kivinen and joined for great interactive discussion with the Chief of Finnish Defense Forces.
General Timo Kivinen, Chief of the Finnish Defense Forces.General Timo Kivinen, Chief of the Finnish Defence Forces and Mr. Johan Grotenfelt, Dean of Consular Corps and Hon. Consul of Nicaragua.
TvärminneMr. Johan Grotenfelt (right), Dean of Consular Corps and Hon. Consul of Nicaragua thanked Professor of Baltic Sea Research Alf Norkko for this opportunity to visit Tvärminne station. (Photo by Poppe Taucher, Hon. Consul of Mauritius)Visit to Port of Hanko was hosted by Mr. Anders Ahlvik (right), CEO of Port of Hanko, Honorary Consul of Norway. (Photo by Poppe Taucher, Hon. Consul of Mauritius)
The Board of Consular Corps had a great pleasure to meet with Mr. Sauli Niinistö, President of the Republic of Finland at Kultaranta, president’s summer estate in Southwest Finland. Meeting was part of the annual planning meeting, this year held in Naantali.
Meeting in Naantali included also discussions with Mrs. Laura Leppänen, Mayor of Naantali.
Mr. Sauli Niinistö, President of Finland welcomes the Board of Consular Corps to Kultaranta, the summer residence of the President. Picture: Matti Porre / Tasavallan presidentin kanslia / President’s OfficeFrom left: Mr. Olli Pohjanvirta, Hon. Consul of Kazakhstan, Mr. Jan Nygård, Hon. Consul of Iceland and Mr. Wille Eerola, Hon. Consul General of Pakistan and Secretary of Consular Corps shared the latest development of Consular Corps with President Niinistö. Picture: Matti Porre / Tasavallan presidentin kanslia / President’s OfficeMrs. Marja-Liisa Rosberg, Hon. Consul of Seychelles and Mr. Johan Grotenfelt, Hon. Consul of Nicaragua and Dean of Consular Corps, thanked President Niinistö for the visit.Mr. Johan Grotenfelt, Dean of Consular Corps with Mrs. Laura Leppänen, Mayor of Naantali
The Annual Meeting of Consular Corps in Finland, a registered association, was held on April 19 with almost thirty participants, and for the second time virtually due the continuous Covid-19 restrictions.
We had a great honor to have Mr. Ville Skinnari, the Minister of Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade of Finland, as our special guest. Minister’s wonderful and inspiring presentation covered plans and actions to boost the foreign trade in the post-Covid19 era and he also expressed his gratitude for the work Honorary Consuls do both for the countries they represent in Finland, but also delivering knowledge of trade and export opportunities for Finnish companies.
Once again, we want to thank Minister Skinnari for his valuable time and great insights for the future.
Annual Meeting decided the issues stated in the Articles of Association and also decided the Members of the Board for this year. We are pleased to announce that the earlier Board was selected to continue their work also for the next year. Board of Consular Corps in Finland for 2021:
Mr. Johan Grotenfelt Dean of the Consular Corps, Chairman of the Board Honorary Consul, Nicaragua
Mr. Wille Eerola Secretary of the Consular Corps, Member of the Board Honorary Consul General, Pakistan
Mr. Heikki Rautvuori Coordinator of Consular Corps Events, Member of the Board Honorary Consul, Jamaica
Mr. Jan Nygård Treasurer, Member of the Board Honorary Consul, Iceland
Mr. Jukka Luostarinen Member of the Board Honorary Consul General, San Marino
Mr. Jari A. Rastas Member of the Board Honorary Consul General, Poland
Mrs. Marja-Liisa Rosberg Member of the Board Honorary Consul, Seychelles
Mr. Timo Palander Member of the Board Honorary Consul, Namibia
Mr. Olli Pohjanvirta Member of the Board Honorary Consul, Kazakhstan
The second episode of our virtual “Corporate View” event was held with Mikko Hyppönen, global cyber security expert and Head of Research of F-Secure, as our special guest. Very interesting afternoon opened us plenty of amazing details and development taking place across the global cyber world currently.
First event of our virtual series of “Corporate View” was held on 16 February with representatives of over 30 countries, both Honorary Consuls and Diplomats.
In his very interesting presentation, Mr. Panu Routila, our first guest opening this winter season of Consular Corps events in 2021, opened his view on global mega trends in industrial production, recovering of the world’s trade and production in post-Covid19 and different scenarios showing the path to recovery and new growth in the world.
Mr. Panu Routila has decades of experience in the Finnish industry and investment companies, his previous positions include being CEO of Konecranes between 2015-2019 and CEO of Ahlstrom Capital between 2008-2015. Currently Mr. Routila is the Chairman of the Board at Oriola PLC and Patria Group, Member of the Board at Conficap and Ensto as well as Honorary Consul of France in city of Turku.
Thank you all for your participation and active Q&A session!
And please save the date for the next one: 16 March at 3pm with Mr. Mikko Hyppönen, the world’s leading cyber security expert from F-Secure. Invitation are sent shortly.
