President’s Report for year 2024

Changes in Executive Committee

• Left:

• Sanna Ruuskanen

• Heini Korhonen

• Eero Toivanen

• New:

• Saku Koskinen joined on behalf of Sanna Ruuskanen

• No replacements for Heini or Eero

Changes in Embassy and Business Finland

• Changes in Embassy

• Former Ambassador, Satu Mattila-Budich retired

• New Ambassador Arto Haapea joined

• Former Deputy Ambassador Heini Korhonen return to Finland

• New Deputy Ambassador Ahti Törrönen joined

• Changes in Business Finland

• Eero Toivanen left to new country

• Aku Valta joined

Introduction of Working Groups / sub committees at FACC

• Communications

• Constitutional change

• Events

• Member sales

• Finland – Australia Government

• Partnerships

• Young professionals

Events during the year

Throughout the years, we have successfully hosted total of 12 events with different kind of subjects. Year was kicked off with an event hosted by our member Wärtsilä where we had the chance to get a deeper understanding of how this Finnish iconic company is leading the world in sustainability transition within their own industry. 

Our annual  Nordic Golf Tournament hosted together with all Nordic Chambers jointly was a success and based on our member feedback, it is THE best golf event they have ever participated in.

Towards the end of the year, a highlight event of the year was a big member event in Melbourne hosted by 50 Degrees North! This event had over 50 people join us and proved to us that there is a clear demand for our activity in Melbourne. 

Other events to highlight from the year:

• Farewell sail with former Ambassador Satu,

• Social procurement together with Kinaway

• Breakfast event with Business Finland Directors presenting government level goals for international expansion

• Cruise with the Europeans – a joint event across all European Chambers

• Independence Day Dinner

Outside of events organized for our members, FACC helped out with Finnish companies visiting Australia exploring market opportunities. During Sydney Built Expo FACC had a stand representing Finnish companies where our Vice President Anssi Paatero spent the days promoting Finnish companies. 

Second similar event was during iMarc where Mining Finland had a stand for their member companies and requested FACC help to be on the stand since Mining Finland CEO couldn’t travel to Australia at that time.

Events workgroup has been lead by Olli Mustonen.

Next years plan is to formalize different event formats such as breakfast dialogues with business leaders, online session gaining nationwide audience.

Constitution update

This year we have worked on finalizing an updated constitution and prepared to transform us from a NSW-based Incorporation to an Australian-wide company limited by guarantee. Our Member Alexandra Novious is a Special Counsel at Johnston Winter Slattery and her company has worked for us in pro-bono to prepare the updates to our constitution and helping us transform us to a nationwide organization. Anssi Paatero has been responsible for this work together with Alexandra while Joakim Westerholm and Joona Puhakka has been part of the planning. 

We will host a separate event for our members to discuss in more detail about the changes why its important for us to do. A separate meeting to vote on this change is planned to be held during first quarter of the year.

Key takeaways from the constitution work is:

• This helps us to update our constitution to meet current world

• Mission is untouched and stays as is

• We become an Australian wide organization allowing us to formalize our presence in other states – starting from Melbourne, Victoria

• This is preparing us for growth in the years to come

Like said, a separate info session is to follow on this.

Communications

The communication team is formed to create structure for the way we communicate, in which channels and how the communication is structured. In this workgroup, we work on marketing and communication related aspects. 

This years key outcomes are that we have created a communication framework to different channels and have clarified our messaging. You will see this work bear fruit early next year once we put the plans in action.

A new website was designed and developed pro-bono by SK Creative. This gives us bases for good communication. 

In this work group, two of our members have joined as volunteers helping us to execute the works. They are Phuong Puhakka from Sydney and Denise Kazan from Melbourne 

Membership Sales

We are recovering from Covid lead hibernation within our members and the membership sales working groups purpose is to discuss with members, get old members back and attract new ones. 

Throughout this year, we have conducted our old members while recruiting new companies and individuals to joins us.

We have gotten this year new member companies and individuals. 

• 6 New companies

• 10 new individual members 

The working group has been lead by Jukka Sintonen.

Finland – Australia Government

This workgroup really should be called Team Finland, meaning that in this work group the focus has been in working together with the Embassy in Canberra and Business Finland.

We have successfully created a solid information flow across all of us with a single goal in mind = let’s help Finnish companies succeed in Australia. We have a monthly joint call with the Embassy, Business Finland and FACC to discuss what everyone is doing and where we can work together.

I look forward to continuing working together with Team Finland and continuing improving our partnership and finding more and more joint events and projects.

Partnerships

For us, it is important that we continue expanding our partnerships and work more with different organizations that can help Finnish companies and individuals succeed in Australia.

This year, as a new partner,  we have partnered with Kinaway – an organization helping Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander businesses to succeed in business across Victoria. The purpose of our partnership has been to help Finnish companies and individuals understand more about social procurement and find partnerships with the Kinaway member companies.

We are a member of European Chambers of Commerce in Australia (EABC) giving us a wider information sharing across all European Chambers in Australia. Anssi Paatero has initiated an idea to form an International Chamber House in NSW together with the EABC which has been received positively by the NSW Premier’s office. Hopefully in near future this idea becomes a reality and we’ll have a joint office space with other Chambers in NSW.

The partnership with Nordic Chambers in Australia continues next year with plans to do more joint events in NSW and Victoria.

This workgroup has been lead by Anssi Paatero.

Young professionals

We have this year initiated an approach to create a community for young professionals in Australia. This effort has been lead by Emily MacKay and she hosted a great starting event this years. Goal is to turn the Young Professional community into an active community that meets regularly. The purpose is to help people get better job opportunity and help Finnish companies recruit good people to join their companies.

Other subjects

RMIT Study

RMIT University Executive MBA students conducted this year a research of FACC, its members and direction. The work done has been in exceptional quality and been lead by Saku Koskinen and Joona Keränen from our end. The group of students were very professional and have created their vision for us and strategy what they recommend. This study will function as bases to our next years strategy work.

Thank you’s

I want to thank all members for their activity this year. We are here for our members and we look to increase our events and discussion in the future years as well.

I want to thank you Finland Embassy in Canberra, especially the new Ambassador Arto Haapea and the new Deputy-Ambassador Ahti Törrönen for their open and proactive participation in working together with us.

I want to thank the Business Finland, especially Birgit Tegethoff and Aku Valta on their openness and support in working together toward our common goals.

I want to thank the Executive Committee members for their work this year in advancing our mission. The 2024 members were:

• Joona Keränen

• Saku Koskinen

• Olli Mustonen

• Mikael Koski

• Anssi Paatero

• Joakim Westerholm

• Joona Puhakka

• Jukka Sintonen

The new Executive Committee members for year 2025 are introduced separately.

Specials thanks to Jukka Sintonen

Our long-serving Executive Committee member Jukka Sintonen has decided to leave the ExCom and focus in his entrepreneurial activities. I would like us to recognize Jukka’s exceptional work towards transforming the FACC to become a more valid organization in Australia. Through his years, he has been the fueling force pushing us to achieve more, be better and be more relevant. We are now doing well as an organization, and it would not have been possible without Jukka’s commitment and dedication to pushing us to improve.

Next Year

This year has geared around creating structure to our work while next years is going to focus in increased activities and execution. I will highlight next year main goals as:

• Become active community in Melbourne

• Finalize FACC three year strategy

• Continue improvements across the communication and membership services

• Approve updated constitution and implement the company transition.