NordenBladet – The annual Arctic Business Forum introduces the latest business development of the Arctic, investigates global and local trends and future prospects, and offers companies and organizations the chance to present their own business at the forum. The Arctic Europe has been calculated to hold investment potential worth of at least 197 billion euro. The forum offers valuable information about the possibilities and future investment potential of the Arctic region both for the local business representatives and international investors. The aim of the forum is to build networks and relationships among the region’s various business representatives.
The speakers of the Arctic Business Forum are all key representatives and stakeholders from various fields of Arctic industry. The themes addressed cover topics such as business investment potential in the Arctic, business policies and risks, innovation and Arctic cooperation.
PROMOTING ARCTIC BUSINESS
Lapland Chamber of Commerce (est. 1939) is the Northernmost Chamber of Commerce in the European Union. The mission is to create success for business in Lapland and Finland. Representing views and opinions of trade and industry the Chamber is working on better business environment, offering business related services and building networks in order to maintain and enhance business competitiveness. Members of the Chamber include a variety of companies from big industrial companies to SME’s from different industries and branches of business, municipalities and other business related actors.
International cooperation and networking plays an active role of the Chamber activities. The annual Arctic Business Forum introduces the latest business development and future prospects of the arctic, and plays as an arena and meeting point to discuss the opportunities and obstacles of business. Arctic issues being the expertise area of the Chamber it has been involved in the preparation process of the Arctic Economic Council and, it is a member of the Northern Forum.
Lapland is the northernmost county of Finland with about 183 000 inhabitants. The total area of the county is 99 000 km2, which equals to 30% of the whole of Finland. Lapland is sharing borders with Sweden, Norway and Russia, altogether 1642 km. There are two international border crossings to Russia, six to Sweden and six to Norway. The six sub regions of Kemi-Tornio, East Lapland, the Valley of Tornio, Northern Lapland, the region of Rovaniemi and Fell Lapland form the region of Lapland. Rovaniemi is the administrative capital of Lapland with appr. 60900 inhabitants. The other cities in Lapland are Kemi, Tornio and Kemijärvi.
Clean nature and abundant natural resources provide a unique, solid foundation for the business sector in Lapland. The total turnover of Lapland business is over 10 billion euro, which of 34% is from industry. Lapland is the 5th strongest export region in Finland. Forest and metal are the main industrial players although mining and tourism are strongly growing branches of business in Lapland.
Arctic business forum 2018
Investments, Competitiveness & Startups in the Arctic
The 9th Arctic Business Forum will be organized 11. – 12.4.2018 at Kemi Finland, the capital of Arctic Industry.
While embracing the economic cooperation between the Arctic countries, the forum offers also valuable information about the possibilities and future investment potential of the Arctic region both for the local business representatives and international investors. Aim is to scrutinize the future and build network and relationships among region’s various representatives.
The Arctic Europe holds investment potential worth of at least 197 billion euro. In the forum will be presented the latest news in business development in this region. The speakers in the Arctic Business Forum are the key representatives and stakeholders on various branch of Arctic industry. The global and local trends at stake are addressed at the Arctic Business Forum. Moreover, the companies and organizations have a chance to present their own business at the trade show in touch with the forum.
The Arctic Business Forum is organized for the second time at the city of Kemi, which is, together with the city of Tornio, one of the biggest industrial centers in the Arctic region. The region’s future development in forest industry at Kemi and steel industry at Tornio offer various possibilities to SMEs in subcontracting and maintenance.
Welcome to the Arctic Business Forum 2018 to bond with other Arctic business representatives and stakeholders working for the Arctic prosperity.
Venue: City of Kemi, Kemi Cultural Centre (address: Marina Takalon Katu 3, 94100 Kemi)
Program 2018
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11th
9.00 OPENING SESSION
Mr. Juha Mäkimattila, Chairman of Board, Lapland Chamber of Commerce, Finland
Mr. Tero Nissinen, Mayor of Kemi, Finland
Mr. Sun Liwei, Economic & Commercial Counselor, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Finland, China
09.45 CROSS-BORDER CO-OPERATION IN THE EUROPEAN ARCTIC
Mr. Harri Mäki-Reinikka, Ambassador, Senior Adviser, Northern Policies Department of Europe, Finland
Mr. Peter Waara, Chair Haparanda Municipal Council, Sweden
Mr. Anatoly Glushkov, President, Murmansk Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Russia
11.30 ARCTIC BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT POTENTIAL IN 2018
Mr. Timo Rautajoki, President & CEO, Lapland Chamber of Commerce, Finland
Mr. Mikå Mered, Professor of Arctic/Antarctic economics & geopolitics – Free Institute of International Relations Studies (ILERI, Paris), France
12.15 NETWORKING LUNCH
13.15 THE GREAT ARCTIC RAILWAY DEBATE
Moderator: Mr. Timo Rautajoki, President & CEO, Lapland Chamber of Commerce, Finland
Keynote: Mr. Pirkka Hartikainen, Area Manager, Sitowise Oy, Finland
Keynote: Mr. Kjell Stokvik, Managing Director, Centre for High North Logistics / Kirkenes, Norway
Mr. Andreas Lind, Business and Development Director, County Administrative Board of Norrbotten, Sweden
Mr. Marko Varajärvi, CEO, Council of Torne Valley, Finland
Mr. Jaakko Ylinampa, Director General, Lapland’s Centre for Economic Development, Finland
Mr. Harri Mäki-Reinikka, Ambassador, Senior Adviser, Northern Policies Department of Europe, Finland
Mr. Kustaa Valtonen, Entrepreneur & Angel Investor, Finland
Mr. Marco Graziotto, Director of Promintergroup AG, Director Arctic Bulk, Italy
Mr Yuri Sekretev, Director of Representative office in Russia, Promintergroup AG and Director of Arctic Bulk AG, Russia
15.30 COFFEE BREAK
16.00 ARCTIC STARTUPS – NEW ENTREPRENEURSHIP CREATES GROWTH
Mr. Kustaa Valtonen, Entrepreneur & Angel Investor, Finland
Mr. Marko Alamartimo, Business Advisor, Growth and International Business at Business Rovaniemi, Finland
Mr. Markus Pellikka, CEO, Santa Water Group, Finland
Mr. Antti Haukipuro, CEO, Suvanto Care, Finland
Mr. Kaj Kostiander, Director, Tornio Brewery, Finland
Ms. Sirly Schinmann, Chef and owner at Aurora Estate – Boutique Hotel and Restaurant, Finland
17.30 END OF DAY 1
20.00 CONFERENCE DINNER
(HOTEL MERIHOVI RESTAURANT, 2ND FLOOR, KESKUSPUISTOKATU 6, 94100 KEMI)
THURSDAY, APRIL 12th
9.30 OPENING SESSION OF THE 2nd DAY
Mr. Timo Vuori, Executive Director at ICC Finland and Executive Vice President Finland Chamber of Commerce, Finland
Mrs. Mirva Antila, Country General Manager, IBM Finland
10.15 COFFEE BREAK
10.45 COMPETITIVENESS IN THE ARCTIC BUSINESS
Mr. Tomi Seppä, Vice President, Kemi Board and Pulp Mill at Metsä Group, Finland
Mrs. Tuula Untinen, Manager-Logistics Services, Outokumpu Stainless Oy, Finland
Mr. Andreas Lind, Business and Development Director, County Administrative Board of Norrbotten, Sweden
Mr. Robert Hess, Vice Chairman, Global Strategy Team Leader, Newmark Global Corporate Services, United States
Mr. Kun Zhang, President of TUNGTAI International Holding Group, China
11.55 SIGNING CEREMONY
12.00 NETWORKING LUNCH
13.00 WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE EUROPEAN ARCTIC
Ms. Anu Fredrikson, Director, Arctic Economic Council
Ms. Satu Luiro, Senior Advisor in Tourism, Creative industries and Culture, Regional Council of Lapland, Finland
Mrs. Jaana Koivumaa, Manager, Hannukainen Mining Oy
Mr. Vladimir Masloboev, Deputy Chairman of the Kola Science Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, member of the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of the Murmansk Region, Russia
Ms. Clara Dumard, CEO Vaimiti Events – Nautical events in the Arctic, France
Mr. Christian Dumard, CEO – founder at Hokulea – Weather Analysis, France
Other Speakers TBC.
15.00 END OF PROGRAM IN KEMI CULTURAL CENTER
15.15 VISIT TO THE SNOWCASTLE OF KEMI
Duration: 30–45 minutes
Address: LumiLinnankatu, 94100 Kemi
Registration for the visit to the SnowCastle of Kemi at the same time as you will register to the Arctic Business Forum at Kemi Culture Centre. Distance to the SnowCastle from the venue for Arctic Business Forum is approx. 1 kilometer. One guided tour will have 15–20 visitors. Free pass to the tour is for everyone attending the Arctic Business Forum. Welcome to explore the beautiful SnowCastle of Kemi!