Are you searching for the perfect team to organize your corporate events and host your exhibitions?

Elevate your events with our expertise!

Partner with Finnish Business Council for flawless events and exhibitions that leave a lasting impression. We specialize in professional event organizing and exhibition hosting, bringing a wealth of connections and deep market knowledge to every project we undertake.

Why Choose Us?

Expert Event Organization: We handle every detail, ensuring your event runs smoothly and successfully.

Seamless Exhibition Hosting: We create impactful and memorable exhibition experiences that captivate your audience and highlight your brand.

Customized Solutions: We understand that every company has unique needs and goals. Our tailored services are designed to meet your specific requirements.

Professional Team: With years of experience in event management, we ensure every aspect of your event is executed flawlessly. We speak Finnish, Swedish and English.

Contact:

admin@fbcuae.fi



Welcome our new member IIMC

Impactful Innovations Management Consulting LLC

We provide professional innovative solutions, and unparalleled expertise which help to drive transformative change and shape the future through collaborative partnerships. By offers a wide range of business consulting services, such as:

  • Market access support to Healthcare, Pharmaceutical Industry, Med and Bio Tech and Diagnostics

  • Organizational restructuring and manpower development

  • Growth planning and long-term strategic planning

  • Channel partners management, development and re-evaluation

  • Marketing initiatives development

  • GenAI and future forecasting

For more details about how we can cooperate please contact us to:

CEO and Chairman of the Board  

Dr. Marika Crohns       

tel. +971 58 518 4358

email: marika@iimc.global

               

Board Member and Senior Executive  

Tariq Abu Rous             

tel. +971 50 656 1838

email: tariq@iimc.global

               

FBC member in the spotlight - Meet Co-founder and CEO of Astute Henrik Mattila-Kuusniemi

1. What is your career background and how did you end up in Dubai?

Most of my career has been in the Defense and Government Services (DGS) industry. I also have extensive experience in logistics and supply chain management, which is closely linked to the DGS sector. I have been calling Dubai home for well over 20 years, although my work and projects have taken me elsewhere as well. Initially, I moved to Dubai to manage business in Iraq and Afghanistan during military missions in those countries. Even then, Dubai was a major hub for our industry, and we wanted to open a regional office here to better support our field operations and clients. Our headquarters were in Monaco, so a regional office in Dubai was a natural choice, being much closer to the mission areas.

2. Can you share a success story where Astute’s skills in challenging location support services really made a difference in a project?

Astute is a fairly new company, initially founded to bring our extensive industry experience to the European market, where more and more defense-related activities are taking place. We also actively support our partner companies in the Horn of Africa region. Due to confidentiality and information security, I cannot share detailed information, but we have been trusted to participate in successful projects, such as supplying a military-grade field hospital to Yemen, air-lifting military equipment to the Lake Chad region, and providing logistical support for emergency food distribution in Central Africa.

3. You have been involved with FBC for many years. What are your thoughts then and now?

Yes, I was fortunate to be elected to the FBC Board more than ten years ago for a couple of terms. Since then, I have continued to follow and, where possible, participate in the events and evolution of the FBC. Both my wife Katriina (who also served on the FBC board some years ago) and I have been very pleased to see the great progress that FBC has achieved. FBC is even more professional today, thanks in large part to the active employed personnel, which I believe has made a significant difference in FBC activities.

4. What has been the best thing about living in the UAE for you and your family?

First of all, the obvious ones: safety and security, good schools, and excellent healthcare facilities. In my view, the UAE, being an international hub and a melting pot of nationalities, cultures, and religions, provides an excellent environment for children to grow up in. Personally, I also value the location’s proximity to Africa, where I grew up and where most of our business is located. Most destinations are just one flight away.

5. How does a perfect day look for you when you are not working?

We are a bit of a workaholic family, so any day will include some work, though in moderation. I very much enjoy taking part in our kids’ sports activities, especially around our rugby club. Friends, food, and drinks are also essential. The perfect day off for me in Dubai includes a brunch, a true Dubai institution. The perfect day off in Finland is during the summer by the lake or the sea

 

 

 

Welcome our new member Radisson RED Dubai

Dive into the vibes of Dubai Silicon Oasis

Discover a refreshingly different way to stay in Dubai’s tech playground at Radisson RED. Located in Dubai Silicon Oasis, our cool spaces are packed with personality. Get comfortable in our stylish hotel with 112 hotel rooms, 59 apartments, OUI Sports Bar, rooftop bar and our own Jones The Grocer.

We're pet-friendly—take your furry friends with you!

Energize with fresh, seasonal food in our vibrant on-site restaurants - OUI Sports Bar, REDRoof (rooftop bar) and our own Jones The Grocer. Chill out at the rooftop pool, fitness center, or over a game of table tennis. With boundless free Wi-Fi and 24-hour food and refreshments, you decide when the party starts and stops.

For meetings and events, choose from 13 indoor and 3 outdoor meeting spaces of total 6500 sq.m  including a 600-square-meter multi-purpose space, perfect for throwing epic parties or getting meetings off autopilot.

Contact and reservations:

Radisson RED


FBC member in the spotlight - Meet our Chairman Joonas Vikström, Head of ISKU Middle East

1.How has your experience been during your first year as a chairman of the Finnish Business council?

I would say the most interesting part has been to see how well connected the Finnish community truly is in the UAE. Having a Business Council among that sews everything together and provides the platform for activities and further networking.  It can be seen that the overall Finnish community in the UAE is running Finnish Business Council and not the other way around, which is fantastic. Another interesting remark has been the perception of other Business Councils about Finnish Business Council and Finland in general. Seemingly Finland is recognized to be a tiny country in terms of the population but still it is valued for its high level of education, innovation and industrial development together with its companies making Finnish Business Council an interesting partner for cooperation. Surely we are fun people to hang out with too!

2. What are your hopes and aspirations for FBC going forward?

Finnish Business Council is building bridges between Finland and the UAE as we say, and there are still plenty of unexplored rivers and valleys where this bridge could be fitted. Especially in the areas of green energy, sustainability, and education there are endless possibilities between these two countries for cooperation and that’s something where FBC can support the companies and the individuals associated with this process and help them to find each other. The hope is to get as many companies and people together with us for it.

3. As Head of Isku Middle East, what are you most proud of regarding the company’s achievements here in UAE?

Every successful delivery is a reason to be proud of but the highlights are the ones where the customer focused heavily on the price in the buying process, but eventually gave feedback of receiving more value than the amount paid after seeing the final result. And this same happens to many Finnish companies here, not only ISKU. Finnish companies are perceived expensive at the first sight, but the value pays off in quality and reliability in the longer run.

4. How does a perfect day look like to you?

I’m very satisfied if the day runs smoothly along the lines as I planned it. It’s just not the typical way how the days unravel here, and sometimes that’s a positive thing and sometimes not so favourable. Maybe that perfect day has some of those plot twists on a positive note together with solid eight hours of sleep.

5. New skill you would still like to learn?

Arabic. At least some phrases more of it. That would be handy.

FBC member in the spotlight - Meet Mikko Lavanti, Senior Vice President, Mobile Networks Market for Middle East and Africa

  1. Tell us a brief version of your fascinating career journey leading up to your current role.

    I have been fortunate to have held great jobs and worked with exceptional teams around the world throughout my more than 30-year career. It all began during the Telecom Liberalization Era in Finland with the Helsinki Telephone company (nowadays Elisa). This, coupled with my studies at Helsinki University of Technology where I specialized in Telecom and minored in International Business and Strategy, provided a strong foundation. My career has taken me, along with my family in earlier years, to various locations including Silicon Valley, Napa Valley in California, Munich (twice), Shanghai, Istanbul, Dubai, and soon to Riyadh. I strive to maintain curiosity and seek out new experiences, which has helped me find the 'positive' side even in challenging situations. In my current role as Head of Nokia Mobile Networks in the MEA market, I am able to apply the learnings from my past decades of experience. Nevertheless, I make an effort to learn new things every day, believing that it provides an opportunity for continuous growth. We have been fortunate to experience growth often enough, and in addition to curiosity, there are a few other factors that have contributed to my success. One is the practice of anticipating as much as possible; adhering to the philosophy that 'if you are on time, you are late' has allowed me to achieve more. Additionally, I believe in continuously seeking out opportunities for enjoyment and fun.

  2. Since Nokia is one of our longest-standing members in the Finnish Business Council, what,  in your opinion, are the main benefits of being part of the FBC community?

    5G is enabling many new use cases in collaboration with smart governments and cities. Building these requires working not only with the government but also with smaller companies developing applications on top of 5G networks. FBC provides a good platform for both aspects; we have increased visibility with the UAE government and can also collaborate closely with Finnish companies active in the UAE. These are some of the biggest advantages for Nokia as a member. And, of course, participating in events organized by FBC ladies, Erika and Sanna, is also enjoyable.

  3. How do you foresee the future evolution of the telecom industry in the next 5 to 10 years?

    We are going to see significant changes with AI and Extended Reality. Current 5G networks will evolve to 6G by the decade's end. These networks underpin early AI development. Our goal aligns with Nokia's ESG strategy, focusing on building networks fostering global collaboration. This includes enhancing environmental sustainability in the digital world. In this region, we prioritize Health and Safety (ensuring everyone returns home safely daily), compliance (Nokia has maintained its status as the industry's most ethical company for 8 consecutive years), and bridging the digital divide through rural coverage. So a lot of changes in the society which are enabled by Telecom products.

  4. When you are not traveling, how do you spend your free time?

    I travel frequently, as you know from the question. For example, as I write these answers, I am en route to Stockholm and London for meetings during the Eid holiday. When I'm not traveling, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. My wife and two of my eldest daughters live in Finland. Tomorrow, I will briefly see my fourth daughter in London, and last week, my fifth daughter accompanied me while house hunting in Riyadh. In between, I had a good time with friends in Tahkovuori during Easter. I also enjoy reading, listening to music, and watching sports.

  5. Do you still have any dreams in life that you hope to fulfil?

    If I didn't have any dreams, I believe I would be ready to die. Dreams are a significant part of my life, always guiding me towards the next milestones. One of the earliest lessons I learned was that happiness comes before success. So, it's not just about pursuing the next dream; it's about living happily, knowing that good things, including dreams, will follow. I believe my dreams resonate with many readers: as we age, they revolve around health, the well-being of family and friends, and perhaps one more dream—to assist Finnish companies in achieving success in global markets in the future.


Welcome our new member Yallaesports

In 2016, a group of passionate gamers came together to turn their hobby into a professional business. Their dream came true and YaLLa Esports was born. Today, we are a household name in the Middle East’s gaming and Esports scene, built with passion and dedication.

Our goal has been clear since day one. We want to pave the way for gaming in the Middle East to thrive for partners and players alike.

We are the dreamers, believers, trailblazers, and achievers. We are YaLLa Esports.

Contact:

Klaus Kajetski, CEO

klaus@yallaesports.com

Teemu Koski, VP, Media Business

teemu@yallaesports.com

www.yallaesports.com