Get to know the speakers of the 17th Baltic Sea Region Forum below.
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Minna Arve, Chair of Board of Directors of Centrum Balticum Foundation, Mayor of City of Turku, Finland |
| Minna Arve has served as the Mayor of Turku since 2017. Turku-born Arve is a Master of Economics and a nurse. During her career Arve has worked i.e. as the Managing Director of Turku Chamber of Commerce and as the Party Secretary of the Finnish National Coalition Party. She has also led a long career in municipal politics. As the Mayor of Turku, Arve has highlighted major issues such as sustainable growth, urban inclusion, the prevention of social exclusion, and new means of industrial and business policies. She has promoted international networks and co-operation, and serves as Vice President of ICLEI - Local Governments for sustainability. |
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Marjo Kaartinen, Rector, University of Turku, Finland |
| Marjo Kaartinen has served as the Rector of the University of Turku since August 2024. She is on a leave of absence from her position as Professor of Cultural History. Before her rectorship, Kaartinen was Vice-Rector for Education at the University of the Arts Helsinki in 2022–2024. Her specialization as a historian is early modern cultural history. |
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Olga Dibrova, Ambassador of Ukraine to Finland |
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Olga Dibrova is the Ambassador of Ukraine to Finland and Iceland since 2020. Dibrova is a professional diplomat with over 20 years of experience in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. She has covered relations of Ukraine with Türkiye, South Caucasus and Eastern European countries, as well as the EU integration of Ukraine. Before coming to Finland Dibrova served as Director-General for State Protocol. |
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Pauli Aalto-Setälä, Member of Parliament, Writer, Vice-Chair of the Island Committee (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry) |
| Pauli Aalto-Setälä is a journalist and experienced leader with a career spanning over 30 years in the leadership of domestic and international companies. He is a first-term Member of Finnish Parliament living in the Finnish archipelago. Aalto-Setälä has served as CEO in three corporate groups: Kotimaa-Yhtiöt, Aller, and Dentsu, as well as being the editor-in-chief at Nelonen, Iltalehti, and Kotimaa. Additionally, he has worked as a journalist for Turun Sanomat, MTV, and Yle's Pyöreä pöytä (Round Table). The preservation of the archipelago and the Baltic Sea Region are especially close to Aalto-Setälä's heart and an important part of his work as an MP. |
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Lauri Ojala, Professor, Turku School of Economics, University of Turku, Finland |
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Dr. Lauri Ojala is Professor of Logistics at the Turku School of Economics, University of Turku, since 1997 and an Adjunct Professor of Logistics at the National Defence University since 2008. Ojala has been engaged in shipping and port operations, research and education for over 40 years. In recent years, his research activities have focused particularly on maritime security of supply. |
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Maja Markovčić Kostelac, Executive Director, European Maritime Safety Agency, European Union |
| Ms Maja Markovčić Kostelac took up the position of Executive Director of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) on 1 January 2019. She is responsible for the running and development of the Agency under the oversight of its Administrative Board. Starting out as a maritime lawyer, she has subsequently gained long-standing experience in the maritime field in both the public and private sector. Prior to joining EMSA, Ms Markovčić Kostelac was State Secretary for Croatia’s Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure. Her duties entailed developing strategies, policies and legislation in the area of maritime transport, maritime safety, security and environmental protection. In this role, she also led the Croatian delegation in a range of international forums at the United Nations, such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO). During her time at Croatia’s Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure she held a number of positions, including Director of the Maritime Policy Directorate. She also served as Director of the Croatian Shipowners’ Association (Mare Nostrum). Since joining EMSA, Ms Markovčić Kostelac has established the Agency’s five-year strategy (2020-2024) and organises its implementation. She has led EMSA’s work on a range of strategic and operational issues, including the maritime dimension of the European Green Deal, the development of enhanced digital solutions for national level administrations and relevant authorities, and the provision of support at international level to the European Commission and Member States at the IMO. |
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Artis Pabriks, Chairman, Northern Europe Policy Centre, Latvia |
| Dr. Artis Pabriks holds Ph.D. in political science and is former Latvian Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of Defence. Currently, Pabriks is the Chairman of think tank Northern Europe Policy Centre and Chairman of Latvian Military Industry Association MilTech. |
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Marko Petkovic, Captain (N), Deputy Chief of Staff Operations, Swedish Naval Staff, Sweden |
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Captain (N) Marko Petkovic serves as Deputy Chief of Staff Operations responsible for all naval operations in the Swedish Navy. He returned to the Navy in 2023 after seven years at military-political and strategic level. Petkovic's most recent post was Assistant Military Representative and Military adviser at the Swedish Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels. Before Brussels, he was posted as Strategic planner in the Policy and Plans Dept at the SwAF HQ with a portfolio of international commitments and national response plans. Prior to this Petkovic served a three-year rotation in the Operation HQ of EUNAVFOR Operation Sophia in Rome as Deputy Acting Chief of Staff Plans, between 2016-2019. Previous posts include Navy Intelligence Branch at the Navy Staff and two command tours, the most recent was when he took command of the 42.MCM Squadron between 2009-2010 and the first as Commanding Officer of the Landsort-class minehunter MHC HSwMS Ven between 2005-2007. |
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Mikko Simola, Commander of Gulf of Finland Coast Guard District, The Finnish Border Guard, Finland |
| Captain Navy (CG) Mikko Simola is commander of Gulf of Finland Coast Guard District. Simola has previously served in various tasks in The Finnish Border Guard, for example as director of maritime safety of The Finnish Border Guard (in headquarters of The Finnish Border Guard) and as deputy commander of Gulf of Finland Coast Guard District. During his international career Simola has worked as Justice and Home Affairs Counsellor responsible for border security and Schengen matters in Finnish Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels as well as in the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex in Warsaw (as Aide-de-camp to Executive Director). |
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Sanna Sonninen, Maritime Director, Traficom Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, Finland |
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Sanna Sonninen is a Master Mariner and holds a MSc degree in Maritime Engineering. Before starting as a research scientist at the Technical Research Centre of Finland, in 2001, she worked as a ship officer onboard Finnish merchant ships, tankers and RoPaxes for almost 10 years. She has also worked as a Development Manager at the Finnish Maritime Administration and as a Director at the Finnish Transport Safety Agency. In 2017 she was appointed Pilotage Director of the state-owned Finnpilot Pilotage Ltd and the CEO of the Ice Advisors Ltd. She is a Doctoral Researcher at the Aalto University. |
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Tomasz Szubrycht, Rector-Commandant, Polish Naval Academy, Poland |
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Rear Admiral Professor Tomasz Szubrycht, PhD, DSc is the Rector-Commandant of the Polish Naval Academy in Gdynia. Szubrycht graduated from the Polish Naval Academy in 1987. He held numerous commanding positions in reconnaissance Navy ships group. In 1991 he graduated from specialist studies at the Naval Amphibious School in San Diego, USA and during 1997-1998 completed postgraduate studies at the Naval War College in Newport, USA. In 2002 Szubrycht defended his doctoral dissertation at the Faculty of Navigation and Ship Weapons at the Polish Naval Academy and became assistant professor. In 2005 he was appointed as Head of the Center for Decision Analysis and Naval Operations at the Command and Naval Operations Department of the Polish Naval Academy and in 2009 he obtained the degree of habilitated doctor at the National Security Department of the National Defense University. In 2012 Szubrycht became the Dean of the Faculty of Command and Naval Operations of the Polish Naval Academy and in 2013 he obtained the Professor title granted by the President of the Republic of Poland. Since 2015 he has been the Rector - Commandant of the Polish Naval Academy, as well as Honorary Professor of the Bulgarian Naval Academy and Honoris Causa Doctor of the Romanian Naval Academy. In November 2018 Szubrycht was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral (OF-6). |
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Tiina Tuurnala, CEO, Finnish Shipowners' Association, Finland |
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Tiina Tuurnala is the CEO of the Finnish Shipowners’ Association as of 1 April 2017. The Finnish Shipowners Association represents the needs of shipowners in industrial and labor market policies both nationally and internationally. Tuurnala has over 20 years of experience from leading positions within transport sector. She began her career with the Finnish Maritime Administration in the early 1990’s. Before joining Finnish Shipowners, Tuurnala served as Deputy Director General of the Finnish Transport Agency in charge of the traffic and Information Function. She was responsible for national traffic management, icebreaking services, nautical charts and hydrographic surveys and functions related to the development of digitisation, automatisation and intelligent traffic. In 1998 she graduated with a MSc. (Engineering) from the Helsinki University of Technology majoring in geographic information technologies. Tuurnala has extensive experience with national and international representations, including e.g.; IALA Council Member; National Treasury Insurance Sector Advisory Board; Finnish Forestry Industry Development Centre Tapio Supervisory Board etc. |
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Veijo Hyvönen, Editorial Editor, Turun Sanomat, Finland |
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Veijo Hyvönen is a finnish journalist. He is in charge of the editorials in the newspaper Turun Sanomat, which is the largest newspaper in south-west Finland. Hyvönen is also deputy to the editor in chief. Hyvönen has been working in Turun Sanomat for over 20 years in various positions for example business journalist, news editor and managing editor. He has a masters degree from the Turku School of Economics. |
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Eini Haaja, Postdoctoral Researcher, Pan-European Institute at Turku School of Economics and Turku Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Turku, Finland |
| Dr. Eini Haaja is an International Business scholar with wide experience of industry-academia collaboration, particularly in the maritime sector. She has conducted research in various externally funded projects and has published articles on business opportunities, risks and collaboration dynamics in this context, most recently focusing on the green transition. Currently Haaja is the Principal Investigator in MUUTOS-project funded by the Foundation for Economic Education, exploring how different actors in the shipbuilding industry drive, and could drive, green transition in their international business networks. In 2024, Haaja visited Florida International University as a Fulbright Finland Visiting Scholar to establish research collaboration on sustainability enhancement in the cruise industry. |
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Kiki Larsen, Business Development and Funding Manager Fonden Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, Denmark |
| Dr. Kiki Larsen is heading the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (the Center) strategic collaboration with academia. The Center is a not-for profit organization and a significant driver of a sustainable decarbonization of the maritime industry by 2050. Prior to joining the Center in 2022, she worked ten years in the chemical industry in various roles within strategy and business development. Larsen holds an MSc and PhD in chemistry from the University of Copenhagen and was awarded the silver medal for her University of Copenhagen Prize Thesis. Furthermore, she graduated her MBA in finance from the University of Nottingham (Malaysia) with distinction. She currently serves on the advisory board of the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) Maritime Centre. |
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Simone Maraschi, Managing Director of Cruise Gate Hamburg, Germany |
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Simone Tommaso Maraschi was appointed Managing Director of Cruise Gate Hamburg on July 1st, 2020. Cruise Gate Hamburg GmbH (CGH) is a subsidiary wholly owned by Hamburg Port Authority AöR. As the operator of Hamburg’s cruise centres, CGH oversees terminal operations, berthing allocation, cruise development and terminal planning – and is the single point of contact for all cruise liner companies. Maraschi started his career in 1997 in the airline industry, first in sales and marketing and later moved to terminal and airport operations. In 2005, he joined the Italian ferry Group Grimaldi/Grandi Navi Veloci and oversaw sales and marketing for the German-speaking countries. In 2010, Maraschi moved to Sartori & Berger, one of Germany’s leading port agencies and cruise service providers, where he was responsible for operations in all German and Polish ports. In addition to his active role in Hamburg’s cruise development as a board member of the Cruise Cluster "Hamburg Cruise Net", Maraschi is also involved internationally. Before being elected as the new Chairman of Cruise Europe in May 2024, he chaired the Cruise Europe Sustainability Committee and was active on the Marketing Board. Maraschi also serves as Chair of the IAPH Cruise Committee and is actively involved in association work for CGH as a member of CLIA. |
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Tim Meyer, CEO, Meyer Turku, Finland |
| Tim Meyer leads the world's largest family-owned cruise ship building shipyard Meyer Turku. The seventh-generation Meyer sees the ability to respond to the demands of the green transition as the industry's greatest challenge in this time. According to him, a more sustainable shipbuilding is a direct prerequisite for the future of the entire industry. |
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Niels Rytter, Head of Section and Associate Professor, Department of Technology and Innovation, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark |
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Niels Gorm Maly Rytter, PhD, is Section Head for Engineering Operations Management at Department of Technology and Innovation, University of Southern Denmark. He works as an academic, senior project leader, business entrepreneur, advisor and trainer within the field of global shipping, logistics and manufacturing operations. He is currently leading a portfolio of DK and international R&D projects aiming at making the maritime and green hydrogen industries more digital, sustainable, efficient and resilient. He has significant experience shaping, funding and leading technology innovation and business development projects in close collaboration with industry partners creating industrial value and scientific outputs. He has over the recent decade worked together with +20 ship operators, ports, technology vendors, associations etc. in the maritime domain. Previous to that he spent more than a decade working with / for manufacturing and shipping businesses, among others a family-owned company from where he has board member experience. He is also partner of the company LinerGame which deliver training solutions and services to the global shipping and logistics industry and recently founded VizTrack aiming at developing and commercializing a vision based cargo and asset tracking solution for the RoRo Shipping Industry in collaboration with DFDS. His expertise is within topics of Business Strategy, Plant and Supply Chain Design, Operations and Service Management, Process improvement (Lean Six Sigma), Quality Control, Digitalization, Industry 4.0 (IOT, Connectivity, Digital Twins, AI etc.), Performance Management, Pricing and Revenue Management, Production Planning and Control, Condition Monitoring and Maintenance, Spare Part Logistics, Project and Stakeholder Management, Sustainability, Techno-Economic Assessments, Finance, Skill building and Business Simulations / Games. |
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Andrius Sutnikas, Business Development Manager, Western Baltic Engineering, Lithuania |
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Andrius Sutnikas is a Lithuanian Maritime cluster manager with a strong background in innovation development and the maritime industry. He is skilled in analytical skills, renewable energy, strategic planning, business development, and strategy. Since 2020, Sutnikas has been coordinating the Lithuanian maritime cluster to facilitate partnerships and create added value for the sector by developing new products and services.The Lithuanian maritime cluster was established in 2020 with aim to become a platform for the development of high value-added products and services, focusing on green transport initiatives and innovative technological projects |
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Teppo Säkkinen, Senior Advisor, Finnish Chamber of Commerce, Finland |
| Teppo Säkkinen, Senior Advisor on Climate, Energy and Industries, joined the Finland Chamber of Commerce in 2022 after working as a Special Advisor to Ministers in the Finnish Government, focusing on climate, energy and natural resources. Säkkinen is a Member of the European Economic and Social Committee, an advisory body of the EU. He is a Master of Social Sciences. |
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Jussi Orell, Editor-in-Chief, Turun Sanomat, Finland |
| Jussi Orell has been working as Editor-In-Chief of Turun Sanomat since January 2022. Turun Sanomat is the largest Newspaper in Southern Finland and it is published seven days a week both paper and digital formats. Turun Sanomat is local but also provides accurate news on security policy. Due to Turku´s location the Baltic Sea Region is very important to our readers. Turun Sanomat not only reports security policy news but also comments on it in background columns and editorials. |
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Eija Hagelberg, Senior Specialist, Agriculture, Ministry of Environment, Finland |
| Eija Hagelberg has a long career in agri-environmental sector in Finland. Her work at the ministry is strongly connected to the water protection in agriculture. Among others, she has tasks within HELCOM, ministry’s AHTI-program and the national restoration plan. Hagelberg has wide networks to main stakeholder groups from farmers and scientists to companies and policy makers. As a geographer by her education, she is interested in the interactions between things. Hagelberg finds sustainable soil management as a major solution to many environmental challenges of agriculture. She has also experience in the projects enhancing nutrient recycling. |
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Ludwig Hermann, Senior Business Advisor, Proman Management GmbH, Austria |
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Ludwig Hermann has 35+ years of experience as technology, sustainability, and innovation manager on three continents, was co-founder and long-term CEO of ASH DEC Umwelt AG, is co-inventor of minerals/ash decontamination, phosphorus recovery, energy conversion and efficiency technologies, author and co-author of several patents, reports, papers and book chapters on recovery of critical materials, nutrient recycling and renewable energy. Currently, Hermann works as senior researcher/advisor at Proman Management GmbH, Vienna and is Secretary and Board Member of the European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform (ESPP), Brussels. He is a member of the Steering Committee of the Resource Recovery Cluster of the International Water Association (IWA), London, and of expert groups on plant nutrition, climate, soil and water protection, and the extraction and management of critical raw materials and NORM residues on behalf of the European Commission, IAEA, UNECE and UN Environment. |
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Mats Johansson, Programme Manager, WWF Baltic Sea Programme, WWF, Sweden |
| Mats Johansson is based at the WWF Baltic Sea Programme as programme manager for the INTERREG BaltCOP project aiming at scaling measures to restore water environments in the Baltic Region. He is a systems ecologist focusing on eutrophication and nutrient management and has earlier been leading the Baltic Stewardship Initiative. In this project WWF worked together with Swedish farmers, food companies and researchers to increase nutrient recycling and to reduce nutrient losses from agriculture. Before starting at WWF Johansson has been secretary in two Swedish National inquiries on the themes: Sustainable water and wastewater planning and Recycling of nutrients and sludge management. Before that he worked for more than 20 years as a researching consultant in the fields of water, nutrients and environmental governance. |
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Elsi Kauppinen, EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region Policy Area Nutri Coordinator, ELY Centre for Southwest Finland |
| Elsi Kauppinen works on behalf of the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for Southwest Finland as a coordinator of Policy Area Nutri of EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR). The EUSBSR aims at fostering cooperation and finding solutions for joint challenges on a regional level. Policy Area Nutri works towards reducing nutrient emissions and developing and promoting sustainable nutrient recycling. |
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Teija Paavola, Sustainability Manager, Atria Finland Ltd, Finland |
| Teija Paavola works at Atria, one of the leading food companies in Northern Europe, as a sustainability manager with main responsibility for primary production. She has been working on developing environmental sustainability for over 20 years in various roles at university, research institute, and companies. Developing the processing and nutrient recycling of nutrient-rich organic waste materials, such as manure, is particularly close to Paavola's heart. She holds a master's degree in environmental science and technology from the University of Jyväskylä in addition to a degree in environmental engineering. |
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Erik Sindhöj, Senior Researcher, RISE - Research Institutes of Sweden, Sweden |
| Erik Sindhöj is a Senior Researcher at RISE – Research Institutes of Sweden, where he leads research and development initiatives focused on circular nutrient recycling, sustainable manure management, and innovative solutions for agricultural sustainability. His work aims to reduce nutrient losses, decrease dependency on fossil-based mineral fertilizers, and enhance the resilience of agricultural systems through improved nutrient use efficiency. With a PhD in Agroecology from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and a background in environmental engineering, Sindhöj has over two decades of experience in manure management, biogas processes, soil health, and nutrient recovery technologies. He has been instrumental in securing and leading major EU and national research projects, including the CiNURGi (Interreg BSR project), FERTITEC (Horizon Europe), iCOSHELLs (Horizon Europe) and Circular NP (BalticWaters2030). |
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Merja Kyllönen, Member of the European Parliament |
| Merja Kyllönen is a Finnish politician with a 25-year career behind her in various positions ranging from provincial politics, to minister, MP and member of the European Parliament. Currently working as a member of the European Parliament on foreign affairs, transport and defense and security issues. Kyllönen gets excited about new ideas and people, wants to develop and promote the implementation of new things fearlessly and in cooperation. |
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