Yesterday, we welcomed closer to 200 investors at the Winter Garden of Sipuli as two distinguished voices in the financial markets and the Finnish economy took the stage: Erkki Liikanen, Chair of Trustees at the IFRS Foundation, and investor Peter Fagernäs, Chair of the family company Hermitage. Together, they discussed the long-term trends of economics and politics, as well as key moments of transition.

In the conversation moderated by AlterInvest Managing Partner Dr. Anssi Rantala, the speakers reflected on the broader forces shaping economies and societies, and the lessons to be drawn from major historical inflection points such as the banking crisis and recession of the 1990s, the global financial crisis, the pandemic, and the growing geopolitical fragmentation. The conversation also explored what economic success will depend on in today’s environment of mounting uncertainty, and how investors can navigate an increasingly turbulent world.

A few highlights:

• Geopolitics is being reshaped as major powers seek new positions. It is possible that the world may end up divided into clear blocs. In a positive scenario, major powers will still be able to cooperate on preventing nuclear proliferation, promoting international trade and finance, and addressing climate issues.

• Fostering entrepreneurship and broad commitment to balancing public finances was seen as important parts of restoring the health of Finland’s economy.

• A broad-based general education on all levels was seen as a key driver of economic growth, along with high-quality university research.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Erkki and Peter for their valuable insights, and to all participants for their active engagement. We hope the afternoon offered interesting perspectives on the economic and societal shifts shaping our time.