Vantaa’s 50th Trade and Commerce Day 2026 – get to know the speakers!

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 the degrees of MSSc and MSc (Econ. and Bus.).

Guest speakers:

Mayor of Vantaa, 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.

Scientific Director Nordic Countries | Head of Division Digitalisation & AI, Anselm Küsters, Centre for European Policy (cep)

Anselm Küsters is Head of the Division for Digitalisation and AI at the Centre for European Policy (cep) and Scientific Director of cep Nordic Countries, the network's new Nordic hub based in Helsinki. From there he connects policy debates in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland and the Baltic States with those in Berlin and Brussels, with a focus on digitalisation, artificial intelligence and economic security. Alongside his policy work, Küsters is an affiliated researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Legal History and Legal Theory in Frankfurt am Main and a post-doctoral researcher at Humboldt University Berlin; in 2025 and 2025/2026 he held an professorship for Digital Humanities at the University of Stuttgart. He studied in Heidelberg, Würzburg and Oxford and holds a doctorate from Goethe University Frankfurt am Main. His most recent book, Small is beautiful 2.0 (Herder, 2026), makes the case for digital decentralisation and a more human-centred economy.

Shopping Centre Director Olli Lehtoaro, Shopping Centre Jumbo

Olli Lehtoaro is the Shopping Centre Director of Jumbo, the shopping centre with highest turnover in Finland. Together with leaseholders, partners and real estate owners, he directs the development of the shopping centre. Lehtoaro is responsible for developing Jumbo’s business activities, collaboration and partnerships with leaseholder stores and continuous improvement of customer experience. He has over 30 years of experience in developing and leading shopping centres and retail facilities, of which the 12 last years have been with Jumbo. Lehtoaro is known for having profound expertise in shopping centre management and for being a highly collaborative developer with a profound determination and dedication to strengthening Jumbo’s position as an appealing centre for commerce, services and gatherings.

Purchasing Director, Nasia Gavrielides-Klemetti, Gavrielides Foods

Mrs. Nasia Gavrielides-Klemetti is the Purchasing Director of Gavrielides Foods and represents the company’s second generation. Gavrielides Foods is a family business that imports food from Southern and Central Europe. For forty years, the company has made Greek flavors known among the Finnish people. Mrs. Gavrielides-Klemetti is Master of Science in Engineering, and she is also the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Cyprus.

Installation Manager Santeri Kuvaja, Caverion Suomi

Santeri Kuvaja works as Caverion’s Project Manager for data center projects that require a high level of expertise. Data centers are extensive and technically demanding construction projects that typically employ 400–600 persons representing various professions. At the moment, Kuvaja is in charge of the property technology of the data center construction in Koria, Kouvola. The position requires strong leadership skills, excellent communication and organizational skills, and the ability to work effectively under pressure and among constant transformations. Santeri Kuvaja is Master of Science in Engineering. Kuvaja has been named one of Talouselämä’s 35 Under 35 business talents of the year. The list highlights young professionals who are helping shape the future of Finnish business.

Kelly Chau, Junior Achievement (JA) Finland Ambassador

Kelly Chau from Vantaa is an ambassador for Junior Achievement (JA) Finland. During her first year in general upper secondary school, she participated in the JA Company Program, which encouraged her to start her own company, Framed Lotus NYT, selling decorations for glasses and sunglasses. The program offered her the opportunity to network and explore entrepreneurship without great risks, and it also gave her the incentive to apply for a position as JA ambassador. At the moment, her company is on break but as a JA ambassador, she has the chance to inspire future young entrepreneurs and help them on their way.

Entrepreneur Aarni Hildén, Hildén & Kaira

Aarni Hildén is one of the founding partners of social media agency Hildén & Kaira. The company was founded in 2021, and the business started off in a 25-square-meter office space in Myyrmäki. Today, the company employs eight people on a full-time basis and provides social media services for especially founder- and owner-led Finnish brands. Having passed the matriculation exam, Hildén started the entrepreneurial journey, which is what his work experience solely consists of. As of now, Hildén is mainly responsible for sales and recruitment.
 

Please stay tuned – the list of speakers will be updated closer to the event!