As the end of the year approaches, now is the time for taking a moment to reflect on past experiences and achievements. Our efforts in Tesi to make an impact, and to solve environmental and social problems through venture capital and equity investment, have involved all our personnel and raised responsibility to the next level. We at Tesi decided to give our Christmas donation to youth service Vamos for a second time.
Each year six university students are selected for Tesi’s Trainee Programme. The trainees become acquainted with the tasks of an investment analyst over a six-month period. Participants Julia Jutila and Juhana Peltomaa share their views about the programme and their future plans.
It is not a given fact that a family-owned company will find a motivated successor. Finnish Family Firms Association’s Executive Director Auli Hänninen and Aho Group’s Board Chairwoman Miia Porkkala discuss the work that generational change requires from owners.
When a founder heads a family company, it is clear who exercises the owner’s vote. But how to find a common voice when there are five second-generation and 13 third-generation owners? Finnish Family Firms Association’s Executive Director Auli Hänninen and Aho Group’s Board Chairwoman Miia Porkkala discuss owner strategy.
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.