Pertti Korhonen to chair the Board of Business Finland
On 28 December 2017, the Government appointed a Board for Business Finland for the term from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2019. The Board will be chaired by Pertti Korhonen, a board professional, while Petri Peltonen, Under-Secretary of State from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, will serve as its Vice-Chair.
Other members of the Board of Business Finland will be partner Timo Ahopelto (Lifeline Ventures Oy), Executive Vice President Katja Keitaanniemi (Finnvera Oyj), Director General Leena Vestala (Pirkanmaa Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment), Chair of the Board Miia Porkkala (AhoGroup Oy) and Under-Secretary of State Markku Keinänen (Ministry for Foreign Affairs).
The composition of the Board will be the same as the composition of the Board of the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation Tekes, appointed by the Government on 28 June 2017. The same persons were appointed as members of the Finpro Board of Directors by Finpro’s general meeting on 30 May 2017. Working together, the Boards of Tekes and Finpro have jointly managed the process in which the two organisations will merge into Business Finland.
The Act on Business Finland, establishing an innovation funding agency and a limited company, was approved by the President of the Republic on 28 December 2017. The act will enter into force on 1 January 2018.
As of the start of 2018, the Business Finland company will have an internal Board, consisting of employees in the agency and the company. The strategic management of Business Finland will be in the hands of the agency’s Director-General and Board.
Business Finland is a merger between Finpro, which helps Finnish companies go international, encourages foreign direct investment in Finland and promoted travel to Finland, and Tekes, which provides funding for innovation. Business Finland will serve as a catalyst for new growth and a creator of new opportunities for Finland through innovations and international expansion.
The merger will also streamline the operating model of Team Finland and build a stronger innovation and internationalisation operator to serve Finnish companies.
Pertti Korhonen has extensive experience in managing global export businesses. He has previously held the position of CEO in Outotec Oyj and Elektrobit Oyj and different kinds of positions of responsibility in Nokia Oyj. He is currently serving on the boards of various listed and high-growth companies.
Inquiries:
Mikko Huuskonen, Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 29 506 3732