In celebration of International Women’s Day, the Consulate General of Finland in Shanghai, the Finnish Business Council Shanghai, and Business Finland jointly organized an event on March 8th in Shanghai. The event delved into in-depth discussions on topics such as female leadership and career development. Consul General of Finland in Shanghai, Anu Vuori-Kiikeri, outlined Finland’s achievements in gender equality during her opening remarks and shared statistical data on female leadership positions within Finnish overseas missions, parliament, political parties, and governmental positions. Subsequently, distinguished female representatives from various fields shared their stories and discussed how to support the growth and development of women in a dynamic business environment. Discussions covered multiculturalism, overcoming gender biases, and techniques for achieving work-life balance.
During the discussion session titled “Facing Challenges and Seizing Opportunities,” moderated by Liu Xiaoxue, National Promotion Officer at the Consulate General of Finland in Shanghai, ROTOBOOST’s CEO, Kaisa Nikulainen, drew from her own experiences during the pandemic lockdown to illustrate how challenges can be turned into opportunities. As the CEO of a startup technology company, Kaisa led her team in developing time consuming products and solutions in maritime sector, utilizing this period of time. This initiative not only earned international recognition for the company but also successfully attracted significant business collaborations and financial support. Additionally, Kaisa advocates for balancing work and personal life while emphasizing the importance of efficiency and visibility. Kaisa believes that providing equal job opportunities for women and fostering a culture of zero tolerance for gender bias are crucial responsibilities as a leader in the technology industry.