Tino Aalto

Managing Director, Finnish Sawmills Association

Tino Aalto has been working as a managing director of Finnish Sawmills Association since 2022. Earlier Aalto has worked for Technology Industries Finland, as head of innovation policy and advisor to the CEO, as well as a special assistant in the government office, responsible for owner control, and in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responsible for export promotion and trade policy. He also has a background in consulting companies.

Welcome: Thursday @ 9:00

Mika Hentunen

Russia Correspondent, Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE

Mika Hentunen is the Russia Correspondent for the Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE. Russia is the seventh country where he has lived and worked as a journalist. Prior to Moscow, he was based in Beijing and Washington D.C. His 30 years of on-site reporting for television, radio and online span from the fall of the iron curtain to 9/11, and from the war-torn Sarajevo to contested US elections, China and Russia.

In addition to daily news reporting, Mika has in recent years focused on changes in geopolitical and economical landscapes, especially in Global East and Global South countries.

Besides journalism, he is a published author of four non-fiction books and two novels. His latest book The Next Superpower: China’s Grand Plan to Reorder the World, (“Kiinan maailma”, Tammi 2025), co-authored with Kristiina Helenius, analyzes China’s rise and pursuit for global leadership and the rivalry with the West.

New Business Opportunities in China amid changing world order: Thursday @ 14:45

Kari T. Korhonen

Research Manager, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)

Korhonen has more the 30 year experience in monitoring forests in Finland. He has wide experience also in international cooperation and networks. Currently he act as the Chair of Board for the European National Forest Inventories Netwokr (ENFIN) Association.

Forest resources of Finland: Thursday @ 11:10

Antti Koskinen

Principal, AFRY Management Consulting

Antti has over 20 years of experience in global wood and forest products industries. He has master’s degree in both forestry and economics.

Antti works in the Wood Products practice area within AFRY Management Consulting. AFRY provides engineering, project management, and advisory services that enable the energy and industrial transition and strengthen resilience in society. With 18,000 experts worldwide, AFRY combines a global reach with local insights and deep sector knowledge to make a lasting impact for generations to come.

Antti’s work focuses on strategic analysis and business development in the wood products value chain. He has worked in projects in all continents and with all major European and Russian wood products companies. Assignments have included e.g. feasibility studies, M&A, market research, forecasting, sourcing and benchmarking. Antti has followed closely the growth and transformation of Russian wood products industry for over 20 years.

Russia Industry Overview: Thursday @ 13:25

Minna Kuusisto

Chief Economist, Danske Bank

Minna Kuusisto serves as Danske Bank’s Chief Economist at the Helsinki branch, focusing on international macro and geopolitics. She monitors major global economic trends and she is particularly fascinated by the intersections of politics and economics. She strives to understand key risks and opportunities that are relevant for Finnish companies and investors.

Global Economic Outlook: Thursday @ 13:00

Matti Kylävainio

Chairman of the Borad, Finnish Sawmills Association – CEO, Keitele Timber

Matti Kylävainio is one of the owners of Keitele Group and the CEO of sawmill company Keitele Timber. Kylävainio holds a Master of Science in Economics and has worked in the international sawn timber and further processed products trade on four decades. Matti Kylävainio has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Finnish Sawmill Industry Association for several years and has been the Chairman of the Board since 2023.

Finland Market Outlook: Thursday @ 15:30

Mirja Mikkilä

Professor, University of Helsinki

Mirja Mikkilä works as associate professor (tenure track II stage) in Business economics of forestry at the department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki. She holds also an adjunct professor (Docent) position in Sustainability Science, LUT University.

Mirja Mikkilä’s expertise covers themes from business economics to sustainability, namely sustainable management, utilization, and economics of natural resources, sustainable systemic transition, and corporate responsibility and sustainability.

Before the current career within the academia, Mirja Mikkilä worked fifteen years within international natural resource consulting, and pulp and paper industry operations on four continents, Africa, Asia, Europe and South America.

Changes in Global raw-material flows and resources: Thursday @ 10:45

Pekka Pakkanen

Architect, CEO, Planetary Architecture

Architect Pekka Pakkanen is the founder and head of Planetary Architecture, an architectural firm established in 2019 to seek solutions for the climate and biodiversity crises of our time through sustainable high-quality architecture. Planetary Architecture designs long-lasting, and adaptable buildings using renewable materials, future building systems and concepts, and studies the impacts of various construction methods.

Pakkanen has worked as the chief designer in projects such as Allas Sea Pool, Serlachius Museum Gösta, Serlachius Art Sauna, and Versowood headqurters. He has been awarded 1st prize in 16 architectural competitions, has received the Wood Structure of the Year award, and has twice been nominated for the Finlandia Prize for Architecture.

New Versowood Headquaters: Thursday @ 11:35

Riikka Purra

Minister of Finance, Finland

The Ministry of Finance is led by Minister of Finance Riikka Purra. Her responsibilities at the Ministry include economic policy, economic prospects and taxation as well as matters related to the strategic steering and supervision of central government borrowing, debt servicing and the investment of cash funds.

Purra graduated with a Master of Social Sciences from the University of Turku in 2004. She studied political science, economics, environmental policy and, later, educational science. Purra worked at the university, for example, as a graduate student and teacher.

Purra was elected to Parliament for the first time in 2019. During her first parliamentary term, Purra chaired the Administration Committee. Purra was elected as a deputy leader of the Finns Party in 2019 and as leader in 2021.

Opening: Thursday @ 9:05

Jukka Salovaara

Permanent State Secretary in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland

Ambassador Jukka Salovaara is the Permanent State Secretary in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland since May 2022. The Permanent State Secretary is the most senior civil servant in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, with overall responsibility for the Foreign Ministry and Finnish diplomatic representations abroad.

Ambassador Salovaara has worked for the Finnish Foreign Ministry from 1995, serving in several senior positions as the Permanent Representative of Finland to the United Nations, Director General for Political Affairs, and Director General for Europe. He has also served at the Finnish Prime Minister’s Office as Foreign Policy Adviser to the Prime Minister, EU Policy Adviser to the Prime Minister and Under- Secretary for EU Affairs. Ambassador Salovaara has also served the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament.

Geopolitical Landscape: Thursday @ 9:25

Russ Taylor

President, Russ Taylor Global

Russ Taylor worked as a forester in the 1970s (5 years at Northwood, Houston, BC) and in lumber sales, marketing and custom cutting in the 1980s (7 years at Interfor) before starting his consulting career in 1988 and forming International WOOD MARKETS Group in 1992.

Russ has conducted wood products market analysis and business assessment analysis on timber and wood products for global industry clients and has published 45 strategic outlook reports. He travels extensively to key producing, exporting and importing countries in China, Asia, Russia, Europe, the Southern Hemisphere and within North America to obtain first -hand insights.

Following the sale of WOOD MARKETS, Russ started up the next phase of his career in 2020 with RUSS TAYLOR GLOBAL – Wood Business & Market Consulting.

Mr. Taylor has a forestry degree (BScF) and an MBA, both from the University of B.C., and is also a B.C. registered professional forester (RPF-Ret).

North America Market Overview: Thursday @ 15:30