The event is co-organized by the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT), Wesgro, Africa Business Network of the Finland Chamber of Commerce, Finnpartnership, Team Finland South Africa, and the Helsinki Region Chamber of Commerce.
Program
09.00
Opening of the event
Mr. Paul Hoffman, Project Manager, Garden Route Development Partnership,
and Ms. Anne Hatanpää, Liaison Manager, Finland Chamber of Commerce
09.05
Welcoming words by the Ambassador of Finland
H.E. Ms. Anne Lammila, Ambassador of Finland to the Republic of South Africa
09.10
Welcoming words
Mr. Allan Winde, Premier of the Western Cape
09.15
Welcome to the Western Cape
Mr. David Maynier, MEC of Finance and Economic Opportunities, Western Cape
09.25
Introduction to Breakaways
Mr. Paul Hoffman, Project Manager, Garden Route Development Partnership
09.30
Sector Breakaway sessions
Breakaway 1 – Circular Economy
Introduction by Mr. Yaseen Salie, WISP Facilitator & Bio-energy analyst at Green Cape
and Ms. Maria Hughes, Specialist, Global collaboration, Sustainability Solutions, The Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra.
- Energy efficiency (Valmet – Waste-to-Energy, biomass
Mr. Marko Nokkala, Senior Sales Manager, Valmet Corporation - South African view on circular economy and Finnish sustainable packaging solutions
Mr. Shane van der Nest, General Manager, Huhtamäki South Africa - Water resilience
Ms. Heli Harkki, Unit Manager at the Water Treatment Division, City of Helsinki - From waste to a house – a Finnish innovation
Mr. Markus Silfverberg, Founder, Block Solutions
Breakaway 2 – Agricultural technologies
Introduction by Mr. Towfiq Hendricks, Head Investment Promotion, Wesgro
and Ms. Kaisa Arkkila, Collaboration Coordinator, Finnpartnership
- Western Cape export overview and opportunities in agribusiness
Ms. Erica Joubert, Head of Export Promotion, Wesgro (TBC) - Sustainable agriculture products to the Finnish market; Finnpartnership market access briefing
Ms. Kaisa Arkkila, Collaboration Coordinator, Finnpartnership - Finnish agricultural technologies
Mr. Neal de Beer, CEO of Innovative Process Solutions (Pty) Ltd, Technical Partner of Kometos
Q&A
Breakaway 3 – Tech Disruptors
Mr. Sebekedi Koloi, Greenfield Investment Portfolio Manager
Mr. Rui Nozes, Commercial Advisor, Embassy of Finland
- FinTech
Mr. Leo Vaskelainen, Global Sales Manager, TietoEVRY - Cybersecurity from Finland
Mr. Ashley Benn, Regional Sales Manager, Arctic Security Oy - Coding from Finland – a pilot from a South African company
Dr. Marcus Duveskog, Technical Director, Contextualize
10.50
Western Cape Province as your next business partner – Wesgro
11.00
Funding for co-creation - the Developing Markets Platform
Mr. Christopher Palmberg, Head of Developing Markets, Business Finland
11.10
Finnpartnership services for connecting Finnish and South African companies
Ms. Kaisa Arkkila, Collaboration Coordinator,
Finnpartnership – Finnish Business Partnership Programme
11.20
Moderators’ summaries – next steps
11.35
Closing words
Mr. Paul Hoffman, Project Manager, Garden Route Development Partnership,
and Ms. Anne Hatanpää, Liaison Manager, Finland Chamber of Commerce
