”The signifigance of SME’s and exports is evermore important” – Customers and partners were in the core of Finnvera’s 20th anniversary celebration
Today the idea is to celebrate what you, our customers and partners, have accomplished and will accomplish in the future possibly and hopefully together with us, said Finnvera’s CEO Pauli Heikkilä in the company’s 20th anniversary celebration on the 10 October 2019.
− Dear customers, we exist for you. Our important partners and stakeholders, the cooperation with you makes it possible to realise the goals that are so important for us both, said Pauli Heikkilä.
The present day Finnvera Plc was born 20 years ago when there was a merger of two organisations. Then we became the national promotional SME bank and the official Export Credit Agency, ECA. The core tasks given to us then were to finance SME’s, to promote internationalisation and the exports both companies big and small. Our core tasks are still the same today although the world has changed and the volume of our operations is over 7 times bigger than it was 20 years ago.
− The signifigance of SME’s and exports is evermore important, Heikkilä stressed.
On the stage Chairman of Board of Nokia and F-Secure, Mr. Risto Siilasmaa gave a keynote speech. In addition, two success stories of Finnvera’s customers and their views of growth and global business were heard: a growing family business from Muonio, Lapland, Harriniva Hotels and Safaris’ managing director, Ms. Niina Pietikäinen and director, export financing, Mr. Matti Malminen of Konecranes.
− Finnvera ja it’s predecessor Kera, has been extremely important in all of our growth leaps. Now we are reaping the rewards of that work, Niina Pietikäinen said. She represents the third generation of the company. According to her estimation Harriniva company has during it’s existence employed altogether 3,500 person-years.
ECA creates level playing field
The keynote speaker Risto Siilasmaa stressed the role of export financing and Finnvera’s task as an export credit agency. He congratulated Finnvera for well deserved nomination as the best ECA of the year. Siilasmaa pointed out the developement and commercialising of new technologies and innovations and the market positions of Europe, United States and China. Export financing and export credit guarantees create a level playing field.
− Level playing field, that is all we ask for. Finnvera has had an important role in the success of Nokia, Siilasmaa said.
"Finnvera has had an important role in the success of Nokia, Risto Siilasmaa said.
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Knowledge of financing can seal the deal
In the global competition, financing can be a crucial factor that seals the deal. Recognising this requires knowledge of the tools of export financing. Director of export finance in Konecranes, Matti Malminen, urged Finnvera and chambers of commerce to continue their SME export financing tour so that all the more SME’s could be educated about the possibilities of financing and risk management on the other hand. From Konecranes’ point of view the message is clear:
− ECA financing is a must have nowadays, Malminen stated.
"Today the idea is to celebrate what you, our customers and partners, have accomplished and will accomplish in the future possibly and hopefully together with us, said Finnvera’s CEO Pauli Heikkilä.
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Chairman of Board of Nokia and F-Secure Risto Siilasmaa spoke about the role of new technologies as solutions to global challenges.
The celebration was hosted by Finnvera's finance managers Heidi Nousiainen and Antti Saviaho. Nousiainen from the growing and internationalising companies unit and Saviaho from large corporates unit.
Responsible tourism is a megatrend in which Finland and Lapland has to be part in, said managing director of Harriniva, Niina Pietikäinen (on the right).
Finnvera has listened to the needs of customers, recognised Matti Malminen of Konecranes.
Photo: Ilari Takamäki
