Vantaa’s 50th Trade and Commerce Day 2026 – get to know the speakers!
Vantaa’s 50th Trade and Commerce Day will take place on October 27, 2026. The theme of the day will be Bold renewal – growth in transformative times. To honor the anniversary, we will review highlights from past events and focus on future opportunities. The event will be hosted by Reino Meriläinen, Director of the Helsinki Region Chamber of Commerce’s regional office in Vantaa and Viivi Raitio, City of Vantaa’s Expert in strategic foresight.
Hosts:
Director, Reino Meriläinen, the Helsinki Region Chamber of Commerce’s Regional Office in Vantaa / Business Vantaa
Reino Meriläinen is the Director of the Helsinki Region Chamber of Commerce’s Regional Office in Vantaa. He has held the position since October 2023. Meriläinen has gained extensive experience in the business sector, especially in the software industry, as he was part of the executive team of software company Isolta for 17 years, and the company’s CEO for the last two years. Additionally, he has been a board member of Finnish Enterprise Agencies for a long time and is an active supporter of entrepreneurs and advocate for growth-oriented companies. He is known for a straightforward and down-to-earth approach and for having strong competence in promoting business growth and economic development.
Strategic Foresight Specialist, Viivi Raitio, City of Vantaa / Business Vantaa
Viivi Raitio is part of City of Vantaa’s foresight team, which as the first city-level unit in Finland provides strategic foresight services. The aim is to form an understanding of how various phenomena and transformations change and redirect the development of cities and to determine implications for future decision-making. During her career, Raitio has held specialist positions in communications, customer experience improvement and knowledge-based management. She is active within several networks, strives to facilitate collaboration, and is passionate about finding a synthesis between differing viewpoints and solving multifaceted problems. Raitio holds a Master of Social Sciences degree and a Master of Science degree.
Guest speakers:
Mayor Pekka Timonen
Pekka Timonen is the Mayor of Vantaa. Vantaa is Finland’s fourth largest city with 250,000 inhabitants. For many years, promoting the development of cities has been Timonen’s passion and profession. During his career, Timonen has been Mayor of Lahti, the Prime Minister’s Office’s General Secretary of the Centenary of Finland’s Independence and City of Helsinki’s Cultural Director. He has also held leading positions within the business sector. Timonen holds a Master of Arts degree. He is an active member of several international networks and Vice-President of the Airport Regions Council’s Executive Committee.
Please stay tuned – the list of speakers will be updated closer to the event!
