Kimmo Jyllilä believes that doctrines and speeches about how to make board work more efficient often forget an essential factor: atmosphere. Atmosphere is created through human interaction that produces added value through trust, transparency and feedback.
Angel investor Ari Korhonen believes that working with early-stage companies is extremely motivating. “Meeting young, innovative people, learning something new all the time, and every day is different.” What sort of problems does a competent owner help companies to solve, and how is such help given?
“Finns believe it’s acceptable to acquire wealth by car racing or by winning a lottery. But if someone owns a company and creates wealth with it, he or she is regarded as a predator – or at least as a shady character. Success as an owner, though, is gained through hard work, skill, dedication and – just as in ice hockey – a sprinkling of luck,” points out Marko Parkkinen, board professional, serial entrepreneur and CEO of solutions agency Seedi.
Solutions agency Seedi’s CEO Marko Parkkinen has worked as a director on the boards of his own companies and on the boards of listed companies, family-owned firms and businesses owned by associations. He presents here different perspectives of an owner’s most important missions.
Back in 2002, when Michele Giddens, Philip Newboroug and Sir Ronald Cohen founded Bridges Fund Management, the term ‘impact investing’ didn’t even exist. Read Giddens’ top 5 tips for a new impact GP.
The purpose of making a positive impact is to bring about widespread and long-lasting social changes that improve the wellbeing of people and the environment. Ilona Lundström, Director General at Finland’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, and Heli Kerminen, Tesi’s Director, Venture Capital, discuss the requirements for being impactful and Finland’s carbon neutrality target from two perspectives: the reality perceived by companies, and developments in the investment world. How do you view the relationship between sustainable development and profitable business?
Bridges Fund Management has been a forerunner in impact investing since it was founded 17 years ago. Founder Michele Giddens tells us about marrying profit with purpose, and explains why impact funds have outperformed the market in recent years.