Rebecca Piekkari
- Espoo Ambassador of 2022
- Marcus Wallenberg Professor of International Business in the Department of Management Studies at Aalto University School of Business.
- She is responsible for teaching and research in international business
- An Espoo resident since 2000
- She cycles to work from Haukilahti to Otaniemi and is an avid berry and mushroom picker at her cottage in the Loviisa archipelago
- She is organising the European International Business Academy's annual congress in Espoo in 2024
We asked Rebecca Piekkari, the new Espoo Ambassador, for her thoughts on organising congresses, on Espoo and Finland as a congress venue, and on her own favourite places in her hometown.
What is the role/importance of international scientific organisations in your work?
- International scientific organisations play a huge role in communicating and further developing research results. For young researchers, these organisations play a vital role in helping them find their "tribe" and build their identity as a researcher.
- I attended my first international conference in 1989 when, as a master's student, I was responsible for the spouses' programme of the European International Business Academy's (EIBA's) annual congress. Today, there is rarely a separate programme for spouses, but, at the time, male professors often went on conference trips with their spouses. Fortunately, a lot has changed in three decades!
What motivates you to apply to and organise international congresses in Finland, most recently in Espoo, for 2024?
- Aalto University's international School of Business is already quite well known in our academic community worldwide. Hosting an international conference will give more visibility to our researchers, Espoo and Finland more visibility. It also helps in the recruitment of new talented professors to our department.
What do you think are the strengths of Finland and Espoo's strengths in terms of organising international congresses?
- There are many. Espoo, and Finland, in general, are excellent places to organise international congresses. We have good transport links, internationally exciting design and architecture, healthy and delicious food, international companies and a dynamic start-up ecosystem. Our strength is also our vast experience in successfully organising large-scale events in a safe and secure environment.
What thoughts does your selection as the 2022 Espoo ambassador evoke in you?
- I am delighted to have been selected, and I warmly thank the selection committee for this vote of confidence. I've lived in Espoo for over 20 years since my husband and I moved back to Finland from London for work. Our children were born in Haukilahti, Espoo, and we like it here very much. Since Aalto University's School of Business moved from Töölö in Helsinki to Otaniemi in Espoo, my workplace has also been here. It's great to be able to showcase the city's cultural and natural assets to foreign colleagues.
What would you like to say to a colleague considering inviting/organising an international scientific congress?
- The support available from the City of Espoo is truly valuable, and every organiser should take advantage of it. It has contributed to the 50th EIBA Annual Conference to be held at the Aalto University School of Business in Otaniemi in December 2024.
What is your favourite place in Espoo that you would like every congress visitor to Espoo to experience?
- The Laajalahti birdwatching tower near the Otaniemi campus is an excellent place to visit, and you can walk there, even after a day at a congress. I also really like the Espoo Cultural Centre in Tapiola with its diverse theatre- and concert programme.
- For the outdoor enthusiast, my favourite walking route is along the beaches of Haukilahti and Westend – I never get tired of the sea views. The Westend outdoor gym is a fitness facility full of fresh air and a great example of the services offered by the City of Espoo!