Anne Riekki, MSc (Econ), LLM, has started as Investment Manager at Finnish Industry Investment Ltd as a member of the team making investments, directly and via funds, in growth companies.
Ms Riekki previously worked in the European Investment Fund (EIF) in Luxembourg. Before that she was Investment Director at the venture capital firm Eqvitec Partners Oy and a corporate researcher in Merita Bank Ltd.
"I had a grandstand view of European venture capital operations at the EIF. The sector is quite advanced in the Nordic countries, where management companies are professionally run, there is a healthy deal flow and funds can be established. There are very few differences between Finland and the other Nordic countries. It's more worthwhile comparing the Nordic countries to the rest of Europe. The Nordic countries are a small but active venture capital laboratory, in which there's deal flow at many different levels. Funds have an abundance of target companies while investors can choose from funds of many different profiles. International investors, meanwhile, are interested in both levels. This is a very welcome situation for Finnish growth companies."
Ms Riekki likes to spend her leisure time at her summer cottage with her family, as well as boating, reading and swimming.
Leila Ylikahri, MSc (Tech), has started as Investment Manager at Finnish Industry Investment Ltd. Ms Ylikahri's tasks in the team that invests in seed- and early-stage growth companies include making direct investments in early-stage growth companies and making fund investments in early-stage venture capital funds.
Ms Ylikahri came to Industry Investment from the pharmaceutical development company Ipsat Therapies Ltd, where she was Chief Financial Officer. Before that she worked as an analyst for the biotechnology specialist equity investment company Bio Fund Management Ltd.
"There are some promising technological innovations in Finnish early-stage growth companies, and venture capital investors can generally contribute a lot to their commercialisation. It's also nice to see that the spirit of entrepreneurship is strong in Finland. With encouragement that spirit in the right place and at the right time helps create new growth companies."
Ms Ylikahri likes motorcycling and is in active in civil defence.
Antti Kummu, MSc (Econ), has been appointed Investment Director. Mr Kummu has been working at Industry Investment as Investment Manager since 2004. Mr Kummu's duties in the seed investment team include making and administering direct investments in early-stage growth companies and making fund investments in early-stage venture capital funds.
"Over the last three years Industry Investment has speeded the growth and internationalisation of over 80 early-stage companies by co-investing in them with private investors private equity companies, pension companies and business angels. Many of our seed-phase investee companies are well on track for growth and internationalisation," says Antti Kummu.
Further information:
|