Meet the event speakers

Perttu Pölönen

Futurist, inventor, and nonfiction author Perttu Pölönen is known for his insightful perspectives on the future of work, technology, and education. Pölönen was named Finland’s Most Creative Person at Slush in 2014, selected as one of Europe’s most promising innovators under 35 by MIT Technology Review in 2018, and awarded the Mensa Prize in 2021. He has published three books, the latest of which – May I Have Your Attention? – was a finalist for the Finlandia Prize in Nonfiction in 2024.

Kari Kanala

Kari Kanala is the vicar of Paavali parish. He is a mix of grit, lightness, and depth — blending humor and serious topics with ease. His talks range from everyday life themes to workplace safety and leadership. Kari is also a walking trivia machine, spicing up his talks with entertaining details in true Trivial Pursuit style.

Ted Apter & Elias Erämaja

Ted and Elias, hosts of the Finnish Business School Graduates' Economic Outlook webinars, are taking the stage at Business Beyond Today to deliver a live edition of Käyrät ja Keinot.
Elias Erämaja, Chief Economist at the Finnish Business School Graduates, will dive into the economic figures and trends — shedding light on what the curves and charts reveal about Finland’s current situation and future opportunities.
Ted Apter, Senior Advisor on Economic Policy at the Finnish Business School Graduates, will present concrete solutions. Ted will explain what decisions and actions are needed to strengthen Finland’s economic competitiveness and boost growth

Pia-Maria Nickström 

Pia-Maria Nickström, who will be joining Käyrät ja Keinot Live, is the CEO of the Startup Foundation. She is also the founder of the Mimmit sijoittaa media platform and has a background as a media startup entrepreneur.

Esa Juntunen

Esa Juntunen leads IT development projects within the insurance industry by day, ranging from system overhauls to artificial intelligence. By night, he is a bestselling author of books on investing and personal finance, including The Wise Investor and Grow Wealth Wisely. The former won the public vote in the Business Book Competition organized by the Finnish Business School Graduates, while the latter has been among the most read and listened-to books in Finland in 2025. In addition to his books, Esa has written the Financial Independence Challenge (Omavaraisuushaaste) blog for over a decade, contributed as a columnist for HS Visio, and is a popular speaker at investment events. 

Riikka Tanner

Riikka Tanner is a strategy professional and change coach with extensive experience in developing and leading service-based businesses. As an entrepreneur, she works with executive teams and boards on strategic work, foresight, and change leadership.

As the producer of the popular On the Leadership Agenda report and podcast, Riikka brings a broad and insightful perspective on the forces of change and emerging phenomena shaping working life and leadership.

Noora Hammar

Noora Hammar is an experienced cybersecurity professional and leader with a broad background across various roles in cyber and information security. She is an active member of the Finnish cybersecurity community, founder of Women4Cyber Finland, and co-founder of Next Gen Hack FI.

Noora is passionate about supporting women's career development in cybersecurity. She strongly believes in the power of diversity and is dedicated to helping others succeed.

Jessikka Aro 

Jessikka Aro (MSocSc), Director of Communications at the professional union Tehy, is an internationally awarded journalist and nonfiction author. Aro specializes in Russia, extremism, and information warfare. Her bestseller, Putin’s Trolls (2019), has been translated into 14 languages, and her second nonfiction book, Putin’s World War (2024), is currently being translated into several languages. Her third book, Putin’s USA, will be published in October 2025. Jessikka trains people to recognize and counter Russian social media propaganda techniques that pose security threats. She has spoken at, among others, the UK Parliament, the U.S. Congress, and the headquarters of Twitter, Facebook, and Google.

Iro Särkkä 

Dr. Iro Särkkä is a senior researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs and an expert in international politics. Her research focuses on Finnish foreign policy, Northern European security, transatlantic relations, and NATO, as well as French political culture. Before joining FIIA, she worked as a doctoral school specialist at the University of Helsinki, as a researcher and special adviser at the Finnish Defence Forces' Defence Command, and as a visiting lecturer and teacher at various universities and high schools. Iro holds a PhD and Master's degree in Political Science from the University of Helsinki, a Bachelor of Arts from University College London (UK), and an International Baccalaureate diploma from United World College in Canada. In addition to her research, she actively participates in public debate on Finland, NATO, and global security issues and lectures on these topics both in Finland and abroad.

Michal Hanf 

Michael Hanf is a seasoned strategy and sustainability expert, passionately committed to driving systemic change toward a more sustainable future. He brings over 25 years of international experience in consulting, entrepreneurship, and applied research. He currently leads sustainable business projects at VTT, one of Europe’s leading research institutions. Michael is the author of The Future of Sustainability, a study that combines strategic foresight with sustainability, examining long-term phenomena shaping business and society. He helps organizations align strategy with sustainability, turning complex challenges into concrete, impactful operating models for long-term value creation. He also hosts The Circular Coffee Break and Future of Sustainability podcasts and serves as a board member of the German-Finnish Chamber of Commerce.

Pia Penttala 

Pia Penttala is a certified psychotherapist specializing in family and systemic therapy. She earned her Master's degree in Psychotherapy from the University of Bristol in 2015. Over ten years ago, Pia founded two child welfare units in Vihti, Finland. Known to the public as Finland’s "Supernanny", Pia offers gentle yet effective advice for families facing parenting challenges.

Eero Haapala 

Eero is a university lecturer in exercise medicine at the University of Jyväskylä and an adjunct professor of pediatric exercise physiology at the University of Eastern Finland. His research broadly explores the impact of childhood lifestyle on health and well-being. His main interests include the interconnections between physical activity, nutrition, sleep, fitness, obesity, metabolic syndrome, brain health, and mental well-being.

Rauna Rahja

Rauna Rahja (MSocSc, Vocational Teacher) works as a media education specialist at the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare (MLL). In her role, she promotes the digital well-being and media literacy of children and young people, and supports parents and professional educators in guiding the balanced and safe development of children and youth in relation to technology and digital environments. Rahja has also held expert positions at, among others, the Finnish Society on Media Education and the National Audiovisual Institute.

Hosts

Aicha Manai 

Aicha is the CEO of Startup Refugees, an experienced moderator and host known for her ability to create an immediate and inclusive atmosphere at events. She has facilitated discussions across business, leadership, and societal topics — both in Finland and internationally. Aicha holds a degree in economics from Hanken School of Economics.

Isak Rautio 

Isak Rautio is the founder and host of the Futucast podcast, which has gained widespread popularity and established him as an expert on current issues. Isak has also performed as a stand-up comedian, sharpening his stage presence and ensuring his ability to captivate audiences. He is now returning as the host of the Business Beyond Today event for the second consecutive year!