Krogerus Transactions Forum 2025 – Rethinking Ownership in a New Era
When: Wednesday, 17 September 2025 / 12 noon - 6 pm
Where:
Little Finlandia
Karamzininranta 4
00100 Helsinki
Little Finlandia
Karamzininranta 4
00100 Helsinki
Event information
Questions? Get in touch
Krogerus Transactions Forum 2025 – Rethinking Ownership in a New Era
Date: Wednesday, 17 September 2025 | 12:00–18:00
Venue: Little Finlandia, Karamzininranta 4, Helsinki
Join us for the Krogerus Transactions Forum 2025, our annual live event for business leaders, investors and decision-makers shaping the future of transactions and the economy. This exclusive live forum brings together top-tier speakers and sharp minds to explore the major forces transforming ownership and value creation in the Nordics and beyond.
In a world reshaped by political turmoil, shifting power dynamics, and sustainability imperatives, the concept of ownership is being redefined. Under the timely theme Rethinking Ownership in a New Era, the 2025 edition will explore how ownership structures are evolving to reflect broader societal values and political agendas.
From state-backed capital strategies to green transition investments and insights into geopolitical realignments, our lineup of keynote speakers, thought leaders, and case studies from pioneering Finnish companies explore how the Nordics can navigate a rapidly changing world with agility, purpose, and innovation.
Featured speakers include:
- Tiina Alahuhta-Kasko, President & CEO, Marimekko
- Jan Ståhlberg, Founder and Managing Partner, Trill Impact
- Andreas Tallberg, Chair, Tesi (Finnish Industry Investment Ltd) and Chair & CEO, GWS
- Salla Pöyry, Professor of Practice, Aalto University
- Mikko Hautala, Chief Geopolitical and Government Relations Officer, Nokia
- Morten Rud Pedersen, President and CEO, Rud Pedersen
- Heljä Ossa, Research Fellow, The London School of Economics and Political Science
- Saara Kujala, CEO, Ren-Gas
- Saber Kordestanchi, CSO & Co-founder, Hostaway
- Toni Pöllänen, Chief of Staff to the CEO, ICEYE
The event is hosted by Managing Partner Mårten Knuts, Partners Marcus Möller (Head of M&A), Johan Aalto, Annika Schauman, Antti Luhtala and Jasmin Wardi, as well as other Krogerus practitioners.
Programme
12.00 - 13.00
Registration and lunch
13.00 - 13.10
Opening remarks
Mårten Knuts, Managing Partner, Krogerus
13.10 - 13.25
Keynote | From Finland to the world: How we scale up the global Marimekko brand phenomenon
Tiina Alahuhta-Kasko, President & CEO, Marimekko
SESSION 1: OWNERSHIP IN A CHANGING WORLD
Panel discussion: Developing our corporates - do owners matter?
13.25 - 13.30
Introduction
- Salla Pöyry, Professor of Practice, Aalto University
13.30 - 14.15
Panel discussion
- Jan Ståhlberg, Founder and Managing Partner, Trill Impact
- Andreas Tallberg, Chair, Tesi (Finnish Industry Investment Ltd) and Chair & CEO, GWS
- Salla Pöyry, Professor of Practice, Aalto University
- Moderator: Johan Aalto, Partner, Krogerus
14.15 - 14.45
Coffee break
SESSION 2: OWNERSHIP OF A CHANGING WORLD
14.45 - 15.00
End of innocence: Why conflict pays and democracy falters
Heljä Ossa, Research Fellow, The London School of Economics and Political Science
15.00 - 15.30
Reflection board
- Mikko Hautala, Chief Geopolitical and Government Relations Officer, Nokia
- Morten Rud Pedersen, President and CEO, Rud Pedersen
- Heljä Ossa, Research Fellow, The London School of Economics and Political Science
- Moderator: Mårten Knuts, Managing Partner, Krogerus
SESSION 3: HAT-TRICK FINLAND
15.30 - 16.20
Showcasing success stories – Q&A
- Saara Kujala, CEO, Ren-Gas & Annika Schauman, Partner, Krogerus
- Saber Kordestanchi, CSO & Co-founder, Hostaway & Antti Luhtala, Partner, Krogerus
- Toni Pöllänen, Chief of Staff to the CEO, ICEYE & Jasmin Wardi, Partner, Krogerus
- Moderator: Marcus Möller, Partner, Head of M&A, Krogerus
16.20 - 16.30
Wrap-up
- Marcus Möller, Partner, Head of M&A, Krogerus
16.30 - 18.00
Cocktails
Meet our speakers
Tiina Alahuhta-Kasko
President & CEO
Marimekko
Tiina Alahuhta-Kasko was appointed as the President of Marimekko in 2015, and became also CEO a year later. Prior to her current role, Tiina worked as the company’s COO and CMO, among others.
Tiina serves as a Member of the Board of Kesko Corporation, Aalto University and Climate Leadership Coalition. She is also a Member of IMD Foundation Board in Switzerland.
Tiina holds a Master of Science in Economics from the Helsinki School of Economics, a CEMS MIM degree from Groupe HEC Paris and Helsinki School of Economics, and has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Technology from Aalto University.
President & CEO
Marimekko
Tiina Alahuhta-Kasko was appointed as the President of Marimekko in 2015, and became also CEO a year later. Prior to her current role, Tiina worked as the company’s COO and CMO, among others.
Tiina serves as a Member of the Board of Kesko Corporation, Aalto University and Climate Leadership Coalition. She is also a Member of IMD Foundation Board in Switzerland.
Tiina holds a Master of Science in Economics from the Helsinki School of Economics, a CEMS MIM degree from Groupe HEC Paris and Helsinki School of Economics, and has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Technology from Aalto University.
Mikko Hautala
Chief Geopolitical and Government Relations Officer
Nokia
Mikko Hautala is Nokia’s Chief Geopolitical and Government Relations Officer overseeing government affairs and policy matters globally for Nokia. Mikko also serves as the Country Manager of Nokia Finland.
Mikko has over two decades of government and diplomatic experience across the world. Before Nokia, he served as Finland’s ambassador to the United States and prior to this, he was the Ambassador of Finland to Russia. He has also held a range of senior government roles, including foreign policy advisor to Finland’s former President Sauli Niinistö and diplomatic adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland. Prior to these roles he has served as the Deputy Head of Mission in the Embassy of Finland in Moscow, First Secretary at the Permanent Representation of Finland to the EU, Brussels, and held several roles in the Embassy of Finland in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Mikko holds two Master’s degrees from the University of Helsinki including Master of Social Sciences in Political history and Master of Philosophy in Slavic languages. He holds a military rank of major (reserve).
Chief Geopolitical and Government Relations Officer
Nokia
Mikko Hautala is Nokia’s Chief Geopolitical and Government Relations Officer overseeing government affairs and policy matters globally for Nokia. Mikko also serves as the Country Manager of Nokia Finland.
Mikko has over two decades of government and diplomatic experience across the world. Before Nokia, he served as Finland’s ambassador to the United States and prior to this, he was the Ambassador of Finland to Russia. He has also held a range of senior government roles, including foreign policy advisor to Finland’s former President Sauli Niinistö and diplomatic adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland. Prior to these roles he has served as the Deputy Head of Mission in the Embassy of Finland in Moscow, First Secretary at the Permanent Representation of Finland to the EU, Brussels, and held several roles in the Embassy of Finland in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Mikko holds two Master’s degrees from the University of Helsinki including Master of Social Sciences in Political history and Master of Philosophy in Slavic languages. He holds a military rank of major (reserve).
Saber Kordestanchi
CSO & Co-Founder
Hostaway
Saber Kordestanchi is co-founder and CSO of Hostaway, the leading all-in-one vacation rental management software. Originally appointed CTO of Hostaway in 2015, Saber has over 15 years of expertise in Tech leadership and delivering world-class products and software in multiple companies.
CSO & Co-Founder
Hostaway
Saber Kordestanchi is co-founder and CSO of Hostaway, the leading all-in-one vacation rental management software. Originally appointed CTO of Hostaway in 2015, Saber has over 15 years of expertise in Tech leadership and delivering world-class products and software in multiple companies.
Saara Kujala
CEO
Ren-Gas
Saara Kujala is the CEO and one of the founders of Ren-Gas, a power-to-gas project developer focusing on renewable hydrogen and renewable e-methane. At Ren-Gas, Saara leads a team of world’s leading professionals in fields of project and market development, energy systems modelling, power-to-X technologies and project management. Together, the teams is contributing to climate change mitigation with an ambitious growth strategy, by executing a portfolio of sustainable, renewable e-fuel production projects in Finland.
Saara has over 15 years of experience in international power project development, having developed independent power plant and LNG-to-power projects in Asia. She is a passionate leader in energy transition, with global experience in business development for green transition. She is also an author of a book on the role of wind energy in the transition towards renewable energy systems. Saara holds a MSc in Industrial engineering and energy markets.
CEO
Ren-Gas
Saara Kujala is the CEO and one of the founders of Ren-Gas, a power-to-gas project developer focusing on renewable hydrogen and renewable e-methane. At Ren-Gas, Saara leads a team of world’s leading professionals in fields of project and market development, energy systems modelling, power-to-X technologies and project management. Together, the teams is contributing to climate change mitigation with an ambitious growth strategy, by executing a portfolio of sustainable, renewable e-fuel production projects in Finland.
Saara has over 15 years of experience in international power project development, having developed independent power plant and LNG-to-power projects in Asia. She is a passionate leader in energy transition, with global experience in business development for green transition. She is also an author of a book on the role of wind energy in the transition towards renewable energy systems. Saara holds a MSc in Industrial engineering and energy markets.
Heljä Ossa
Research Fellow
The London School of Economics and Political Science
Heljä Ossa is a Research Fellow at London School of Economics. Her areas of expertise include European security and defence policy, NATO, transatlantic relations, deterrence policy and Finnish foreign policy.
Heljä holds a PhD in Military Sciences from the Finnish National Defence University (NDU), with her dissertation focusing on European strategic autonomy from the U.S. perspective. Prior to joining LSE, Heljä worked as a Researcher at the NDU where she did research on transatlantic relations and co-authored the book NATO’s Burden-Sharing Disputes: Past, Present and Future Prospects (Palgrave, 2022). In 2024 she co-authored a book on how Western allies perceive Finland as a security actor (Suomi mainittu, Teos 2024). She is also the Managing Editor of The Ulkopolitist, a Finnish online media focused on international relations and foreign policy.
Research Fellow
The London School of Economics and Political Science
Heljä Ossa is a Research Fellow at London School of Economics. Her areas of expertise include European security and defence policy, NATO, transatlantic relations, deterrence policy and Finnish foreign policy.
Heljä holds a PhD in Military Sciences from the Finnish National Defence University (NDU), with her dissertation focusing on European strategic autonomy from the U.S. perspective. Prior to joining LSE, Heljä worked as a Researcher at the NDU where she did research on transatlantic relations and co-authored the book NATO’s Burden-Sharing Disputes: Past, Present and Future Prospects (Palgrave, 2022). In 2024 she co-authored a book on how Western allies perceive Finland as a security actor (Suomi mainittu, Teos 2024). She is also the Managing Editor of The Ulkopolitist, a Finnish online media focused on international relations and foreign policy.
Toni Pöllänen
Chief of Staff
ICEYE
Toni Pöllänen joined ICEYE originally in 2018 and is currently the company’s Chief of Staff to the CEO. ICEYE is one of Europe’s fastest-growing companies and a global leader in radal satellite technology, delivering near real-time monitoring capabilities on any location on Earth for both defence and commercial users.
Toni has a background as General Counsel and has held leadership positions in high-growth Finnish technology companies. He believes Europe’s future depends on fast-moving companies developing dual-use technologies that strengthen both security and society.
Toni holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of Helsinki.
Chief of Staff
ICEYE
Toni Pöllänen joined ICEYE originally in 2018 and is currently the company’s Chief of Staff to the CEO. ICEYE is one of Europe’s fastest-growing companies and a global leader in radal satellite technology, delivering near real-time monitoring capabilities on any location on Earth for both defence and commercial users.
Toni has a background as General Counsel and has held leadership positions in high-growth Finnish technology companies. He believes Europe’s future depends on fast-moving companies developing dual-use technologies that strengthen both security and society.
Toni holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of Helsinki.
Salla Pöyry
Chair of the Board
Procurator Oy
Salla Pöyry is the Chair of the Board at Procurator Oy, a family-owned company with an investment focus on Nordic companies and funds. Salla is based in Stockholm and manages their investments in Sweden. She is also Professor of Practice at Aalto University’s School of Business, in the Department of Finance, with prior research centered on market frictions and anomalies.
Salla has co-authored a book on governance and board practices among large Nordic companies and currently teaches in the areas of Ownership and Governance. In addition to academic work, she has served on the boards of publicly listed and privately held companies in Finland and Sweden.
Chair of the Board
Procurator Oy
Salla Pöyry is the Chair of the Board at Procurator Oy, a family-owned company with an investment focus on Nordic companies and funds. Salla is based in Stockholm and manages their investments in Sweden. She is also Professor of Practice at Aalto University’s School of Business, in the Department of Finance, with prior research centered on market frictions and anomalies.
Salla has co-authored a book on governance and board practices among large Nordic companies and currently teaches in the areas of Ownership and Governance. In addition to academic work, she has served on the boards of publicly listed and privately held companies in Finland and Sweden.
Morten Rud Pedersen
Founder, President & CEO, Rud Pedersen Group
Morten Rud Pedersen is the Founder, President, and CEO of Rud Pedersen Group. Europe’s fastest-growing public affairs and strategic communications consultancy.
Since establishing the firm in 2003, he has led its expansion to 20 offices across 19 countries, creating one of the most strategically placed networks across Europe’s key political capitals.
The partner-owned firm brings together 600+ consultants from politics, business, and communications.
Under Morten’s leadership, the Group was named EMEA Public Affairs Consultancy of the Year (2023) and European Agency of the Year (2025). In 2025, he received the Individual Achievement SABRE Award for outstanding contribution to the industry.
He speaks Danish, Swedish, English, French and German.
Founder, President & CEO, Rud Pedersen Group
Morten Rud Pedersen is the Founder, President, and CEO of Rud Pedersen Group. Europe’s fastest-growing public affairs and strategic communications consultancy.
Since establishing the firm in 2003, he has led its expansion to 20 offices across 19 countries, creating one of the most strategically placed networks across Europe’s key political capitals.
The partner-owned firm brings together 600+ consultants from politics, business, and communications.
Under Morten’s leadership, the Group was named EMEA Public Affairs Consultancy of the Year (2023) and European Agency of the Year (2025). In 2025, he received the Individual Achievement SABRE Award for outstanding contribution to the industry.
He speaks Danish, Swedish, English, French and German.
Jan Ståhlberg
Founder & Managing Partner, Executive Management
Trill Impact
Jan Ståhlberg founded Trill Impact in 2019 with the ambition to be a force for positive change through impact private investments. Trill Impact’s mission is to create ’Real Returns and Lasting Impact’ for the benefit of investors, businesses, and society at large. Jan Ståhlberg has been holding senior investing – and leadership positions in Europe, US and Asia since 1985. He was part of the original team that started EQT and was among other things Deputy Managing Partner and Vice Chairman during his 24 years with EQT.
Founder & Managing Partner, Executive Management
Trill Impact
Jan Ståhlberg founded Trill Impact in 2019 with the ambition to be a force for positive change through impact private investments. Trill Impact’s mission is to create ’Real Returns and Lasting Impact’ for the benefit of investors, businesses, and society at large. Jan Ståhlberg has been holding senior investing – and leadership positions in Europe, US and Asia since 1985. He was part of the original team that started EQT and was among other things Deputy Managing Partner and Vice Chairman during his 24 years with EQT.
Andreas Tallberg
Chair, Tesi (Finnish Industry Investment Ltd)
Chair & CEO, GWS
Andreas Tallberg is a distinguished Finnish business leader with extensive experience in investment management, corporate governance, and strategic development. He currently holds the position of CEO and Chair at GWS, a leading investment company, and serves as the Chairman at Tesi (Finnish Industry Investment Ltd) and Mehiläinen. He is also Senior Advisor at Rothschild & Co and Altor.
An alumnus of Hanken School of Economics, Andreas is known for his strategic insights and leadership in both private and public sectors.
Chair, Tesi (Finnish Industry Investment Ltd)
Chair & CEO, GWS
Andreas Tallberg is a distinguished Finnish business leader with extensive experience in investment management, corporate governance, and strategic development. He currently holds the position of CEO and Chair at GWS, a leading investment company, and serves as the Chairman at Tesi (Finnish Industry Investment Ltd) and Mehiläinen. He is also Senior Advisor at Rothschild & Co and Altor.
An alumnus of Hanken School of Economics, Andreas is known for his strategic insights and leadership in both private and public sectors.
Mårten Knuts
Managing Partner
Krogerus
Mårten represents a wide range of clients in cross-border and domestic corporate transactions. He regularly advises boards in listed companies on corporate governance matters and assists in strategic disputes pertaining to complex regulatory matters. Mårten is described as being very attentive, flexible and easy to get on with. Mårten also serves as the firm’s managing partner.
Managing Partner
Krogerus
Mårten represents a wide range of clients in cross-border and domestic corporate transactions. He regularly advises boards in listed companies on corporate governance matters and assists in strategic disputes pertaining to complex regulatory matters. Mårten is described as being very attentive, flexible and easy to get on with. Mårten also serves as the firm’s managing partner.
Marcus Möller
Partner, Head of Mergers & Acquisitions
Krogerus
Marcus heads our Mergers & Acquisitions practice. He represents clients in Finnish and cross-border corporate transactional assignments and real estate matters. His clients include private equity and real estate investors, financial institutions and leading Nordic and international corporations. Marcus' areas of specialisation include advising clients on their acquisitions and disposals, joint ventures, as well as on all types of private equity assignments, including fund formation and day-to-day operations of private investment funds.
Partner, Head of Mergers & Acquisitions
Krogerus
Marcus heads our Mergers & Acquisitions practice. He represents clients in Finnish and cross-border corporate transactional assignments and real estate matters. His clients include private equity and real estate investors, financial institutions and leading Nordic and international corporations. Marcus' areas of specialisation include advising clients on their acquisitions and disposals, joint ventures, as well as on all types of private equity assignments, including fund formation and day-to-day operations of private investment funds.
Johan Aalto
Partner
Krogerus
Johan Aalto is one of the most experienced M&A lawyers in Finland. He has been involved in many of the largest and most complex corporate transactions, both public and private. Johan advises regularly Board of Directors and the management on corporate governance issues and chairs the Annual General Meeting of several large and midsized public companies. In 2016 Johan was awarded the honorary title "Lagman" by the President of the Republic of Finland. He joined Krogerus in 2024.
Partner
Krogerus
Johan Aalto is one of the most experienced M&A lawyers in Finland. He has been involved in many of the largest and most complex corporate transactions, both public and private. Johan advises regularly Board of Directors and the management on corporate governance issues and chairs the Annual General Meeting of several large and midsized public companies. In 2016 Johan was awarded the honorary title "Lagman" by the President of the Republic of Finland. He joined Krogerus in 2024.
Antti Luhtala
Partner
Krogerus
Antti's practice focuses on M&A transactions, with a particular focus on complex private equity and cross-border transactions, on which he has extensive experience both from Finland and abroad. From 2018 until 2021, Antti worked as a New York qualified associate at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in London, where he advised some of the largest private equity sponsors in the world. Antti is a graduate of the University of Helsinki, Aalto University School of Business and Harvard Law School. He is also a member of the New York Bar.
Partner
Krogerus
Antti's practice focuses on M&A transactions, with a particular focus on complex private equity and cross-border transactions, on which he has extensive experience both from Finland and abroad. From 2018 until 2021, Antti worked as a New York qualified associate at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in London, where he advised some of the largest private equity sponsors in the world. Antti is a graduate of the University of Helsinki, Aalto University School of Business and Harvard Law School. He is also a member of the New York Bar.
Annika Schauman
Partner
Krogerus
Annika's practice focuses on M&A transactions, with a particular focus on complex private equity and cross-border transactions. She has extensive experience in advising both international and domestic private equity sponsors and corporate clients in complex cross-border M&A, joint ventures, investments and refinancing transactions. From 2014 until 2018, Annika worked as an investment professional at EQT Partners in Stockholm, where she focused on Nordic and European private equity investments. Annika is a graduate of the University of Helsinki and Aalto University School of Busines
Partner
Krogerus
Annika's practice focuses on M&A transactions, with a particular focus on complex private equity and cross-border transactions. She has extensive experience in advising both international and domestic private equity sponsors and corporate clients in complex cross-border M&A, joint ventures, investments and refinancing transactions. From 2014 until 2018, Annika worked as an investment professional at EQT Partners in Stockholm, where she focused on Nordic and European private equity investments. Annika is a graduate of the University of Helsinki and Aalto University School of Busines
Jasmin Wardi
Partner
Krogerus
Jasmin focuses particularly on private M&A transactions. She has gained an extensive understanding of complex private equity and cross-border transactions through regularly advising corporations and private equity investors in diverse Finnish and international transactions. In addition, Jasmin assists clients in their daily corporate matters.
Partner
Krogerus
Jasmin focuses particularly on private M&A transactions. She has gained an extensive understanding of complex private equity and cross-border transactions through regularly advising corporations and private equity investors in diverse Finnish and international transactions. In addition, Jasmin assists clients in their daily corporate matters.
Registration
Registration is open until Tuesday, 2 September or until the event is fully booked. As places at the event are limited, we encourage you to register at your earliest convenience.
Kindly note that attendance at the forum is by invitation only.
Event venue
The forum will held at Little Finlandia, a unique wooden event centre located in the heart of Helsinki.
Little Finlandia
Karamzininranta 4
00100 Helsinki
About Krogerus
Krogerus is one of the leading business law firms in Finland, advising Finnish and international clients in a broad spectrum of transactional, regulatory and dispute resolution matters. We are particularly apt at issues that pertain to the energy, finance, food and beverage, healthcare, real estate, technology and communications sectors. Krogerus is regularly retained in some of the most challenging and high-profile assignments in the market. Find out more about our expertise here.
Contact us
If you have any questions regarding the event, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Hanna Ulkuniemi
Senior Event Marketing Specialist
Krogerus
hanna.ulkuniemi@krogerus.com
+358 40 123 9151
Krogerus hosts
