The Chamber held its 2026 Annual General Meeting on the 8th of April, 2026. During the meeting, chaired by outgoing FJCC Chair Tomy Runne, members selected a new board for the Chamber for the 2026-2027 period. The new board features several members from the previous board, as well as new members stepping into the Chamber’s leadership for the first time.
The AGM also selected a Chair and a slate of Vice-Chairs for the board, as well as a non-board member Secretary-General to manage the FJCC’s regular activities.
“As we look forward to an active 2026-2027 period, I wish to present my sincere thanks to outgoing board members,” said Seppo Rantanen, the new FJCC Chair, “I especially want to thank our outgoing Chair Tomy for the excellent work he did at the head of the Chamber.”
The new board and leadership is as follows:
Chair
Seppo Rantanen, Asahi Partners Oy
Vice-Chairs
Salla Auerto, Kuomiokoski Oy
Sonja Malin, Helsinki Partners Oy
Paavo Virkkunen
Nora Tåg, Ahlman & Tåg Oy
Members
Tomy Runne, Murata Electronics
Tomi Merenheimo, Asianajotoimisto Magnusson Oy
Reijo Munther, Business Finland Oy
Secretary General
Mikael Malmivaara, Northlink Partners Oy
“Genuine Excitement For What Lies Ahead” From New Board
The new board is taking on its new role with enthusiasm, and has pledged to continue the work started by the previous board to renew and refresh the FJCC to ensure that it continues to bring value to its members both new and old, and that the Chamber remains relevant in the current Finland-Japan business environment.
“I’m looking forward to an active year ahead,” said Salla Auerto, who continues her role as a Vice-Chair. “I believe that together with our new collaborators at Northlink Partners, we can create more business opportunities between Finland and Japan, while also encouraging our members themselves to get more involved.”
For her part, Nora Tåg, a new addition to the board who steps directly into a Vice-Chair position, voiced genuine excitement for the upcoming year: “This is a year of fresh energy and ambition, a chance to strengthen the bonds between our members, welcome new voices into the Chamber, and build something more agile and resilient together. The ties between Finland and Japan have always been built on trust and a shared curiosity for doing things better, and that feels more relevant now than ever,” Tåg explained, before adding “There has never been a better time to be a part of this community!”
New Secretary General Mikael Malmivaara shared Tåg’s excitement: “I think this year will be a transformative one for the Chamber. With a range of open events planned to both attract new members and solidify the Chamber’s status as a key player in Finland-Japan trade relations, as well as private members-only events designed to provide members with unique opportunities to candidly discuss matters, I’m sure that members will look at this year as a year of renewal for the Chamber.”
Following what his fellow Vice-Chairs said, new Vice-Chair Paavo Virkkunen continued on a more pragmatic note: “Global trade is currently looking for a new equilibrium. In this light, the diversity of know-how that both Finland and Japan have to offer across a range of sectors offers both national economies remarkable chances for growth. At the Chamber, we believe we can help identify and refine these opportunities for economic growth by providing an environment where companies from both countries can meet and discuss matters, and we are committed to providing more of these opportunities to our membership in the coming year.”
“I’m happy to extend a welcome to both long standing and new members to this year of Finland-Japan Chamber of Commerce activities,” added Sonja Malin, who also stepped into a Vice-Chair position after previously having sat on the FJCC board. “The connection between Japan and Finland is a strong one, creating meaningful opportunities for companies across regions,” Malin continued, “and through the wide range of activities we’ve got planned for this year, we’ll continue to build bridges: with a shared spirit of kaizen, a touch of Finnish sisu, and perhaps a good conversation somewhere between a sauna and an onsen. See you at FJCC events!”
Interested in joining the FJCC to get access to the materials of this and other events, as well as invitations to future members-only events? We invite you to read more about membership and fill out the application form here.