AmCham Finland
Amcham is an independent, non-profit, and non-governmental Finnish business association, composed of 300+ companies united by a will to develop the Finnish business environment.
Forty-two percent of Amcham’s members are foreign-owned subsidiaries and 58 percent are Finnish companies. Ranging from small start-ups to global corporations, the membership represents all fields of business.
The organization’s mission is to promote the business of its members. Amcham facilitates connections, shapes public policy, and produces and delivers business information for members.
While AmCham is short for the American Chamber of Commerce, Amcham Finland is more than a bilateral chamber of commerce between Finland and the United States. It is a community working to improve market visibility and help guide Finland's external economic policy.
Amcham Finland’s Board of Directors consists of eleven members and is chaired by Tuomo Haukkovaara, C.E.O. of IBM. Amcham operations are run by thirteen full-time staff members. Kristiina Helenius has been C.E.O. since 2007.
Membership dues fund eighty percent of Amcham's activities. Sponsorship agreements and event participation fees also support the organization. Amcham does not receive any external funding.
History
Amcham Finland was founded in 2005. Natasha Seeley, AmCham's first Managing Director, Heikki Jaatinen of Hannes Snellman, Will Cardwell, today of AaltoES, Mark Sutton of 3M, and Teppo Rantanen of Deloitte gathered at the US Embassy on the invitation of Commercial Counselor Robert Peaslee to draft a charter for a new organization. They were driven by the frustration that Finland was the only country in Europe missing an AmCham.
With fifty founding members on board the association registered, and in September 2005 Amcham Finland was born.
In 2010, Amcham and the Finnish-American Chamber of Commerce (FACC) merged. The union provided Amcham with an even broader mandate to serve as a hub for business while strengthening its presence on both the national and international arena.
Membership
Membership of Amcham Finland can be categorised as follows:
- International affiliates in Finland,
- Companies looking to invest in Northern Europe,
- Established Finnish companies,
- Finnish companies breaking into or expanding within the US market,
- Service providers catering to the other four segments.
Activities
Amcham's Policy Committee ties together members’ views, publishing them in a Policy Platform at least once a year. All of the government initiatives put forward by Amcham, such as a national strategy for FDI promotion, are included in Finland’s 2011–2015 Government Program.
Amcham Finland offers its members a networking and policy forum. It has seven programs and two committees running, including:
Committees
Programs
- ROI Finland - forum for country managers of foreign affiliates
- Women's network
- New North forum
- Launchpad USA
- Defense industry dialogue
- Overseas Security Advisory Council
Affiliate organizations
Given Finland’s location within the Baltic Rim. Amcham Finland collaborates with the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia and Estonia. Amcham Finland and AmCham Estonia co-host several events throughout the year.
The 115 AmChams around the world create an influential network, accredited by the largest business association in the world: The 3-million member strong US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC.
Amcham Finland hase ties to other European countries and Asia as well as a number of Finnish-American organizations in the United States.