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We are seeking a Director of Partnerships & Business Development to join Team FACC-NY. You will serve as a strategic partner to the President and take a central leadership role in advancing FACC-NY’s mission, membership growth, corporate partnerships, and organizational development. You will help oversee daily operations, develop new initiatives, cultivate stakeholder relationships, and represent the Chamber across the Finnish-American and wider Nordic business communities. This role suits an entrepreneurial leader with excellent relationship-building skills, strong business acumen, and a passion for transatlantic business.

How to Apply
Please send your CV and a brief cover letter to joanna.willott@facc-ny.com with the subject line “Director, FACC-NY”. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. FACC-NY is an equal opportunity organization. Compensation, scope, and role will be determined with the selected candidate.

 

See full details here: https://facc-ny.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/FACC_NY-Director-FACC-NY-header.pdf

Dear FACC-NY Members,

As we reach the second quarter, we’re at a true turning point, for Finland, for the transatlantic alliance, and for the position that FACC-NY holds within it. The global operational landscape is changing. The efficiency-focused model that has characterized decades of globalization is transitioning into a period of strategic rivalry, influenced by geopolitical divisions, AI-led industrial shifts, defense realignments, and the reconfiguration of supply chains prioritizing trust over cost. The factors that are transforming our world, changing trade relations, advancements in AI, the fast-tracking of energy transition, and an increasing focus on robust supply chains, are no longer mere abstract geopolitical concepts. They are actively impacting market access, procurement approaches, capital distribution, talent movement, industrial policies, and long-term competitiveness for Finnish interests.

 

FINLAND & THE NEW GLOBAL ORDER

Finland stands at a strategic crossroads, helping shape the future global economy through its strengths in high-value manufacturing, engineering, cleantech, deep-tech innovation, and trusted institutions. Its economy is driven primarily by services (65%), alongside manufacturing and refining (31%), supported by strong export industries including machinery, electronics, forestry products, and chemicals.

Key growth sectors include clean energy, AI, software, telecommunications, defense, and R&D, all aligned with growing global demand for resilience, sustainability, and advanced technology. Finland’s NATO membership and reduced dependence on Russian energy have further strengthened its role as a trusted Western partner in energy, security, and innovation.

As the global economy shifts from efficiency toward resilience, Finland’s political stability, technological credibility, and transparent governance position it as an increasingly important hub for trusted supply chains, strategic partnerships, and transatlantic collaboration.

 

THE ROLE OF FACC-NY

Connective Tissue in a Strategic Architecture

This is where FACC-NY plays a defining role. As the transatlantic corridor shifts from a trade relationship to a strategic economic framework, FACC-NY acts as the vital link between Finnish and American businesses navigating this transition.

Our network includes:

Industrial and engineering leaders, including Wärtsilä, Ahlstrom, Meyer Turku, and Dinolift, shaping smarter, lower-carbon, more resilient infrastructure.

Cleantech and energy-transition innovators, including Neste, Solar Foods, Betolar, Ductor, and Vilpe, are positioned at the forefront of decarbonization and energy security.

Deep-tech and AI companies, including Reaktor, Vaisala, TactoTek, Revieve, and Emberion, Ponta are operating at the intersection of AI, advanced sensing, dual-use technology, and strategic capability building.

Nordic financial institutions, including SEB, Nordea, DNB, Alma Patria, Baltiska Handels, Tenfore Holdings are advancing capital toward energy transition, defense-related sectors, and robust industrial growth.

Legal and professional-services firms, including PwC, KPMG, Borenius Attorneys Ltd., Sullivan & Worcester, Holland & Knight, Arnold Porter and Paul Hastings LLP, are guiding companies through sanctions, export controls, ESG regulation, AI governance, and geopolitical risk.

 

FACC-NY enters Q2 with a sharper mandate. We are no longer simply a business chamber operating within a stable framework of globalization. Our role has evolved: connecting Finnish companies, innovators, academia, public/private partnerships, and investors with U.S. markets while positioning Finland within the emerging transatlantic strategic economy. In an environment where AI is becoming foundational infrastructure, energy resilience is inseparable from national security, and procurement decisions are geopolitical acts, the relationships and conversations FACC-NY facilitates carry genuine strategic weight.

 

“The transatlantic corridor is becoming a strategic economic architecture, one in which Finland’s strengths in trust, technology, engineering, sustainability, and institutional stability are increasingly valuable.”

 

This quarter, we continue as a strategic convener, bridging business, policy, technology, investment, and geopolitical insight across the Atlantic. The events, dialogues, and partnerships we foster this spring are central to a larger framework of resilience and shared strategy.

For Finnish companies, the way forward is through robust U.S. partnerships. FACC-NY is dedicated to building them.

 

LEADERSHIP

A New Chapter for FACC-NY

A Grateful Farewell to Karin Henriksson

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Karin Henriksson as she steps down as Chairman of FACC-NY. Through her inspiring leadership, the Chamber grew, its programs evolved, its reach widened, and its community became more connected. Karin’s dedication and thoughtful guidance built a strong foundation for the exciting journey ahead.

 

Welcoming Alexander Ehrnrooth as Chairman

We are delighted to welcome Alexander Ehrnrooth as the new Chairman of FACC-NY. He steps into this role as the United States emerges as Finland’s largest trading partner and the transatlantic bond becomes more vital than ever before. 

Alexander sees FACC-NY as a vital bridge in Finland’s global growth story, opening doors for Finnish companies, entrepreneurs, investors, and institutions to connect with opportunities throughout the United States. He envisions the Chamber launching fresh initiatives to spark innovation, strengthen networks, and provide resources that keep pace with the ever-changing needs of the Finnish-American business community

 

FY 2026–2027 Board of Directors

At our General Meeting on May 18, 2026, the following Board was elected:

Name & Organization

Alexander Ehrnrooth, Chairman, Fiskars Corporation

Joonas Aho, Secretary, Sullivan & Worcester

Alexiina Ahokivi, KPMG

Neal Beaton, Holland & Knight

Jan Elof Cavander, Virala Corporation

Travis Dahlke, Ahlstrom

Lassi Hämäläinen, Fredericks, Michael & Co.

Mika Karikoski, DNB Carnegie

Juha Koponen, Borenius Attorneys

Janna Salokangas, Mia AI

Michael Student, Sullivan & Worcester

Outi Vaarala, Orion Corporation

Kari Vyhtinen, Endomines

 

LOOKING BACK

A Strong Q1

The first quarter buzzed with energy and activity. We kicked off the year with our lively Pan Nordic Quizz networking night and an insightful Navigating the U.S. Tax Landscape webinar, setting the stage for a year rich in both connection and meaningful content.

In February, we gathered for our Take Me to Broadway mixer at Scandinavia House and celebrated the debut of our Young Professionals network at Kabin, marking a dynamic new chapter for FACC-NY. March brought the inspiring launch of our Women’s Leadership Circle and Mentoring Program with Kristiina Helenius, CEO of Miltton USA, and concluded with the impactful Nordic–U.S. Life Science Acceleration Forum.

We are deeply grateful to every member, speaker, partner, and sponsor who brought Q1 to life. The enthusiasm and participation at each event showcase the remarkable strength and ambition that define our community.

 

WHAT’S AHEAD

Upcoming Events — Spring & Fall 2026

Our Q2 and Q3 calendar reflects the full scope of FACC-NY’s mission: building community, advancing business, and shaping the transatlantic conversation.

 

Finnish-American Wine Evening with Kukkula Winery

June 4  |  Helsinki  |  Autotalo Skylounge with founder Kevin Jussila and Philip Aminoff

 

FACC-NY Summer Golf Outing

Date TBD  |  A relaxed day of networking, sport, and community

 

Lessons from Listing: Nasdaq & U.S. Market Growth

September 10  |  Hosted by SEB  |  A morning conversation on listing on Nasdaq and scaling in the U.S.

 

Annual Strategic Forum

September 10  |  New York  |  Our flagship event of the year — convening business, policy, and innovation leaders across the transatlantic economy

 

Climate Week NYC: The New Sustainability

September 20  |  5:00–8:00 PM  |  In partnership with Miltton and the UN Global Compact — sustainability as a driver of business value and long-term resilience

Our newsletter is evolving into a forum for sharing opportunities, connections, investor requests, employment openings, partnerships, and resources across the Finnish-American business ecosystem. We warmly invite you to reach out with ideas, feedback, and announcements.

We look forward to building that future together.

 

Warm regards,

Team FACC-NY

Dear Friends of FACC New York,

Spring is in the air, and so is a sense of momentum.

We had the pleasure of sitting down with our newly elected Chairman of the Board, Alexander Ehrnrooth, fresh from the excitement of his election for a wide-ranging conversation about his vision for the Chamber, the state of transatlantic collaboration, and what it truly takes for Finnish companies to scale in the United States.

The timing could not be more fitting. As the US marks its 250th anniversary and Finland’s NATO membership continues to deepen the ties between our two countries, the Finnish-American Chamber of Commerce New York enters this moment with real energy and a clear sense of purpose.

What emerged from our conversation was both inspiring and practical: a vision of FACC-NY as not just a network, but a genuine launchpad, one that meets Finnish companies where they are and walks with them toward where they want to go.

We hope his words resonate with you as much as they did with me.

Warm wishes, 

Team FACC-NY

Interview:

You’ve recently taken on the chairmanship of FACC New York — congratulations. Why does this role matter right now?

Thank you. It is a real honor for me to take on this role, especially at this moment. FACC New York is a 78-year-old institution, and I feel privileged to support the team, work with my Board colleagues, and continue building on the strong cooperation with our Advisory Board.

The United States is celebrating its 250th anniversary this year, and the relationship between Finland and the US feels maybe more important than ever. For Finnish companies, the US is not just another export market. In many ways, it is the market. It represents around 25% of global GDP, and the US economy is growing at approximately three times the pace of the Euro Area Economies. The US has also become Finland’s single largest trading partner, with bilateral trade in goods and services of around EUR 22,5 billion in 2025. In addition, Finland’s recent NATO membership just adds to the importance.

So for me, this role is about helping Finnish companies be ever more ambitious, more present, and more successful in the United States. This is also how the entire Finnish economy can accelerate its growth. 

What role does the chamber actually play for Finnish companies looking to enter the US?

The chamber is a gateway, but also a very practical one. You cannot really enter the US market successfully from a desk in Helsinki. You need to be here, understand the culture, meet people, and build trust.

That is where FACC New York can make a real difference. We help Finnish companies with networks, introductions, visibility and local understanding. In the US, cold calling rarely gets you very far. Relationships matter, and warm introductions matter even more.

We connect Finnish companies with potential partners, investors, customers and talent. The strong growth of the chamber also shows that Finnish companies are taking the US more seriously. Our membership has grown more than tenfold in the past twelve months, which is a very encouraging sign.

How does the chamber work with the Finnish government?

Very closely. We work in strong cooperation with the Consulate General in New York and with many other public and private partners, including our Nordic colleagues.

For a small country like Finland, this kind of cooperation is essential. We cannot afford to work in silos. Government, business, investors and civil society all need to pull in the same direction.

The positive side is that small countries can also be very effective when they are coordinated. Finland can be nimble, focused and punch well above its weight. That is already something people in the US recognize about Finland, and I think we should build on it.

What is your message to Finnish companies still hesitant about the US market?

Be driven, take action and have “sisu”. The US does not reward too much caution. It rewards presence, speed, ambition and credibility.

Of course, it is a demanding market. Competition is tough, decisions are made quickly, and you need to be locally present to succeed. But the upside is huge. The scale, capital, talent and credibility you can build here are difficult to match anywhere else.

For many Finnish companies, the biggest risk is not trying and failing in the US. The bigger risk is never showing up at all.