Europe Forum 2025 – Speakers

Europe Forum 2025 brought together a wide range of domestic and international experts, decision-makers, and influencers.

Petteri Orpo

Prime Minister of Finland

Henna Virkkunen

Executive Vice-President
European Commission

Antti Lindtman

Leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and member of the Parliament of Finland

Aada Aho

Member of the Executive Board
Student Union of the University of Turku

Taneli Lahti

Director, Global Issues
European External Action Service

Karoliina Honkanen

Defence Counsellor
Ministry of Defence of Finland

Olli Ruutu

Director General
Ministry of Defence of Finland

Sofie Lehtovaara

Member of the Executive Board
Student Union of Åbo Akademi University

Nina Ekholm Wenberg

Chair & Country Director / Chair
Johnson & Johnson / Pharma Industry Finland

Laura Viikari

dosentti, geriatri
dosentti, Turun yliopisto; geriatri, Varha

Niina Pautola-Mol

Regional Mayor
Regional Council of Päijät-Häme

Elisa Newby

Head of General Secretariat at the Bank of Finland
Bank of Finland

Petri Tuominen

General Manager
Jyväskylä Region Waste Water Treatment Plant Ltd

Karoliina Rasi

Head of Corporate Affairs Europe
Outokumpu

Pekka Suomela

Executive officer
FinnMin

Toni Eerola

Senior specialist
Geological survey of Finland

Outi Haanperä

Programme director, Sustainability
Sitra

Erkka Railo

Managing Editor
MustRead

Juha Marttila

President MTK
The Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners

Tomi Penttilä

CEO
Bayer in Finland

Kerttu Lehto

Senior Advisor
Turku University of Applied Sciences

Sade Rastenberger

EU Career Ambassador
Åbo Akademi University

Jussi Mäkinen

Deputy Director, EU and Public Affairs
Technology Industries of Finland

Emma Wikberger

Policy Strategist
Technology Industries of Sweden

Alma Jokinen

Finland´s National Youth Council and Youth Sector

Rosa-Maria Mäkelä

Specialist
The Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra

Katariina Mustasilta

Senior Research Fellow
Finnish Institute of International Affairs

Janne Taalas

Chief Executive Officer
CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation

Hiski Haukkala

Director
Finnish Institute of International Affairs

Minna Arve

CEO
Business Turku

Ville Niinistö

Member of the European Parliament
(Greens/EFA, The Greens)

Jonas Karlsson

CEO
Oslo-Stholm 2.55

Ilari E. Sääksjärvi

Professor & Director, Biodiversity Unit
University of Turku

Maria Häggman

Head of International Affairs
The Finnish Confederation of Professionals (STTK)

Hasse Karlsson

Professor
University of Turku

Aleksi Malmberg

Director
The Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland

Johanna Tuukkanen

Director
Center for Cultural Policy Research Cupore

Pekka Hänninen

Dean, Faculty of Medicine
University of Turku

Sofia Virta

Kansanedustaja ja Vihreiden puheenjohtaja
Eduskunta, Vihreät

Jarmo Kontulainen

Emeritus Advisor
Bank of Finland

Niina Malm

Member of Parliament
Parliament of Finland

Miapetra Kumpula-Natri

Member of Parliament
Parliament of Finland

Andre Sourander

Professor
University of Turku

Veera Heinonen

Director, Foresight and Training
The Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra

Ding Ma

Elinvoimajohtaja
City of Lappeenranta

Eero Heinäluoma

Member of the European Parliament
(S&D, SDP)

Mikko Vähä-Sipilä

Economic Counsellor
European Commission Representation in Finland

Johanna Ruohonen

Development Director
Finnish Cultural Foundation

Henrik Husman

President
Nasdaq Helsinki

Jussi Lindgren

Special Adviser, Economic policy
Ministry of Finance

Päivi Puonti

Head of forecasting
ETLA Economic Research

Juhana Aunesluoma

Professor
University of Helsinki

Mikko-Pekka Hanski

Mission leader
Solovey Music

Timo Harakka

Member of Parliament
Parliament of Finland

Joakim Strand

Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering
Prime Minister's Office

Pauli Aalto-Setälä

Member of Parliament
Parliament of Finland

Teppo Turkki

Strategic Foresight Expert, Researcher, Non-Fiction Writer

Teivo Teivainen

Professor of World Politics
University of Helsinki

Liisa Laakso

Senior Researcher
Nordic Africa Institute

David Korpela

Chef de Cabinet
EUSR for the Horn of Africa

Pekka Haavisto

Member of Parliament
Parliament of Finland

Maria Blässar

Head of the European Commission's Representation in Finland

Jussi Saramo

Member of the European Parliament
(The Left, Left)

Elsi Katainen

Member of the European Parliament
(Renew, Centre)

Pekka Timonen

Mayor of Vantaa

Johanna Laisaari

Deputy Mayor
Helsinki

Anne-Mari Jussila

Deputy Mayor
Tampere

Anna-Maja Henriksson

Member of the European Parliament
(Renew, SFP)

Paula Lehtomäki

CEO
Finnish Forest Industries

Milja Kalliosaari

Government Relations Manager
IQM Quantum Computers

Piritta Asunmaa

Permanent Representative
Permament Representation of Finland to NATO

Giulio Maria Mancini

Policy Officer
Directorate-General Migration and Home Affairs, European Commission

Keith Bonnici

Investment Director
Tesi

Sauli Eloranta

Vice President, Defence
VTT

Sanna Salo

Senior Researcher
Finnish Institute of International Affairs

Mika Rytkönen

Chief of Operations, Brigadier General
Finnish Border Guard

Isto Mattila

Professor
University of Turku

Jaakko Järvi

Dean
University of Turku, Faculty of Technology

Elsi Kauppinen

Policy Area Coordinator
EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region

Sari Luostarinen

Principal Specialist
Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)

Erik Sindhöj

Senior Researcher
RISE - Research Institutes of Sweden

Tero Liukas

CEO
Tero Liukas Oy

Laura Walin

Head of Unit, Environmental Protection
City of Helsinki

Lukas Mandl

Member of the European Parliament (Austria)
(EPP, ÖVP)

Samuel Tammekann

Specialist
European Movement Finland

Marja Rislakki

Finland's Ambassador to the European Union, 2017–2021

Veli-Pekka Tynkkynen

Professor in Russian Environmental Studies
University of Helsinki

Samu Paukkunen

Head of Climate and Energy Security
NATO

Lotta Ruokanen

Deputy Executive Secretary
HELCOM - Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission

Risto Veivo

Climate Director
City of turku

Ulla Hakanen

Deputy Head of the Russia Division
European External Action Service (EEAS)

Anna-Kaisa Itkonen

Spokesperson for Energy and Climate
European Commission

Kristian Ruby

Secretary General
Eurelectric

Markus Rauramo

President and CEO of Fortum,
President of Eurelectric

Heidi Hautala

Vice-President of the European Parliament 2017-2024

Jukka Snell

Professor of European Law
University of Turku

Olli Rehn

Governor
Bank of Finland

Mika Aaltola

Member of the European Parliament
(EPP, NCP)

Markku Keinänen

Former Ambassador,
Finland’s Permanent Representative to the EU 2021–2024

Eva Biaudet

Member of the Finnish Parliament

Juhani Damski

Permanent Secretary
Ministry of the Environment

Paula Marjamaa

Sustainability Specialist
Veritas Pension Insurance

Kirsi Kokko

Head of Program, Defense and Digital Resilience
Business Finland

Jenni Karimäki

University Researcher, Adjunct Professor
University of Eastern Finland

Jaakko Loikkanen

Journalist
MTV Oy

Vilppu Kuusipalo

Project Coordinator
Åbo Akademi University

Kimmo Grönlund

Professor
Åbo Akademi University

Albert Weckman

PhD Candidate, Teacher
Åbo Akademi University

Maria Stenroos

Nato Correspondent
Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle)

Kimmo Elo

Senior Lecturer in Contemporary History
University of Eastern Finland

Imelda Maher

Professor of European Law
UCD Sutherland School of Law

Aura Salla

Member of the European Parliament
(EPP, NCP)

Kirsi Pimiä

Committee Counsellor
Parliament of Finland

Matti Vanhanen

Counsellor of State

Lasse Lehtonen

Director General
Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela)

Suvi Rasimus

Head of International and EU matters
Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela)

Saara-Sofia Sirén

MP, Chair of the Grand Committee
Finnish Parliament

Jyri Arponen

Region Mayor
The Regional Council of Southwest Finland

Maija Sakslin

Deputy Parliamentary Ombudsman

Erkki Liikanen

Finland's first EU Commissioner and EU Ambassador

Ismo Söderling

Chair of Turun Paasikivi-Seura,
Assistant Professor

Maria Löfgren

President of Akava

Piia Elo

Mayor of Turku

Markku Jokisipilä

Professor & Director
University of Turku

Antti Palola

President of STTK

Jarkko Eloranta

President of the Central Organisation of
Finnish Trade Unions – SAK

Jyri Häkämies

Director General
EK Confederation of Finnish industries

Juha Jokela

Programme Director
Finnish Institute of International Affairs

Reijo Kemppinen

Former Director-General at the European Council

Marjut Falkstedt

Chief Executive
European Investment Fund

Hosuk Lee-Makiyama

Director
European Centre for Political Economy

Li Andersson

Member of the European Parliament
(The Left, Left)

Juho Aminoff

EIF Senior Regional Representative for Finland and the Baltic Countries