Abhijit Banerjee
2019 Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences | MIT Professor & Co-founder of J-PAL | Bestselling Author, Poor Economics
Jan Vapaavuori
Former Mayor of Helsinki & Finnish Minister of Economic Affairs | Former Vice-President of the European Investment Bank | Global Voice on the Future of Cities
Jan Vapaavuori is a former Mayor of Helsinki and former Finnish Minister of Economic Affairs, and a leading European voice on the future of cities. As mayor, he set out to make Helsinki 'the most functional city in the world,' and as a minister his Housing First program cut long-term homelessness by half. A former Vice-President of the European Investment Bank, he gives audiences a rare perspective on cities and urban leadership.
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Jan Vapaavuori biography
Global affairs speaker Jan Vapaavuori is one of Europe’s most experienced and respected voices on the future of cities, the economy, and public leadership. Over a distinguished career spanning national government, the European Union, and city hall, he has led at almost every level of public life, from Finnish cabinet minister to Vice-President of one of the world’s largest development banks, to the first directly elected Mayor of Helsinki. Few people can speak to how cities, economies, and institutions actually work with his depth of firsthand experience.
Vapaavuori served in the Finnish government as Minister of Economic Affairs and, earlier, as Minister of Housing and Urban Planning, where he launched a pioneering Housing First program that cut long-term homelessness in Finland by around half, an approach now studied worldwide. As Minister of Economic Affairs, he negotiated the landmark sale of the Meyer Turku shipyard, helping to renew the country’s maritime industry. A member of the Finnish Parliament for more than a decade, he later served as Vice-President of the European Investment Bank in Luxembourg.
The Most Functional City in the World
As the first directly elected Mayor of Helsinki, Vapaavuori set an ambitious agenda to make the Finnish capital “the most functional city in the world,” with a focus on sustainable growth, digitalization, and turning the city into a global test-bed for start-ups and smart-city innovation. His work made Helsinki a reference point in international urban circles, and he remains deeply engaged in global city affairs as a member of the World Economic Forum‘s Global Future Council on cities. A former President of the Finnish Olympic Committee, he now chairs Finland’s export credit agency, Finnvera, co-founded the urban-technology ventures Top Urban and Top Urban AI, and runs an advisory and investment business focused on bridging business and government across urban development, real estate, and energy.
As a speaker, Jan Vapaavuori is insightful, pragmatic, and refreshingly candid, bringing the perspective of someone who has made real decisions at the intersection of government, business, and the city. He speaks on the future of cities and urban leadership, economic policy and competitiveness, the Nordic model, sustainability and the green transition, and how to make institutions and cities genuinely work for people. Audiences gain a rare, practical understanding of the forces shaping Europe’s economies and the cities where most of us now live.
Jan Vapaavuori Speaking Videos
Jan Vapaavuori – The Hub of Education Transformation: Helsinki | HundrED Innovation Summit 2019
Jan Vapaavuori (Mayor of Helsinki)
Jan Vapaavuori Keynote Topics
Cities are where the greatest challenges and opportunities of our time converge. Drawing on his years leading Helsinki with the bold goal of making it "the most functional city in the world," Jan Vapaavuori shares a compelling vision of what it takes to build cities that genuinely work, combining sustainable growth, digitalization, smart-city innovation, and a relentless focus on everyday quality of life. A forward-looking, practical keynote for anyone shaping the future of urban life, business, and governance.
What does it really take to lead a modern city? Jan Vapaavuori draws on his experience as mayor, minister, and European banker to explore the art of urban leadership: setting a clear strategy, turning big ambitions into everyday results, working across the public and private sectors, and building cities as test-beds for innovation. He offers leaders in government and business alike a candid, insider's view of how complex organizations and cities can be made to function better. A grounded, insightful talk on leadership and delivery.
As Finland's Minister of Housing, Jan Vapaavuori helped pioneer the Housing First approach, which cut long-term homelessness in the country by around half and has since been studied and adopted around the world. In this keynote he shares the thinking, politics, and practical steps behind one of the most successful social policies of recent decades, and what it teaches leaders about tackling seemingly intractable problems with courage, evidence, and long-term commitment. An inspiring, evidence-based talk on real, measurable change.
Few people understand the Nordic approach to economy and society as intimately as Jan Vapaavuori, a former Minister of Economic Affairs and Vice-President of the European Investment Bank. In this keynote he explores what makes the Nordic model distinctive, how small, open economies stay competitive and innovative, and what businesses and policymakers elsewhere can learn from it. Drawing on real decisions at the highest levels of government and European finance, he offers a clear-eyed perspective on competitiveness, investment, and sustainable growth.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Jan Vapaavuori
Why Jan Vapaavuori?
Booking Jan Vapaavuori brings audiences a leader of exceptional range: a former Finnish cabinet minister, a former Vice-President of the European Investment Bank, and the first directly elected Mayor of Helsinki, celebrated internationally for his vision of "the most functional city in the world." Few speakers can connect cities, economies, and institutions with his combination of firsthand experience across government, European finance, and urban leadership. Pragmatic, candid, and forward-looking, he gives audiences practical insight into the future of cities, economic competitiveness, and making organizations genuinely work. He is ideal for events on the future of cities, leadership, global affairs, the economy, and sustainability. To bring Jan Vapaavuori to your next event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
Who is Jan Vapaavuori?
Jan Vapaavuori is a Finnish leader with a distinguished career across national government, the European Union, and city government. He served as the first directly elected Mayor of Helsinki from 2017 to 2021, and previously as Finland's Minister of Economic Affairs and Minister of Housing and Urban Planning. As Minister of Housing, he launched the Housing First program that cut long-term homelessness in Finland by around half; as Minister of Economic Affairs, he negotiated the landmark sale of the Meyer Turku shipyard. He was a member of the Finnish Parliament for over a decade and served as Vice-President of the European Investment Bank in Luxembourg, as well as President of the Finnish Olympic Committee. Today he chairs Finland's export credit agency, Finnvera, is co-founder of the urban-technology ventures Top Urban and Top Urban AI, and is a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on cities. He holds a Master of Laws from the University of Helsinki and an honorary doctorate from the Hanken School of Economics.
What was Jan Vapaavuori's vision for Helsinki, and what did he achieve?
As Mayor of Helsinki, Jan Vapaavuori built his tenure around a bold and memorable ambition: to make Helsinki "the most functional city in the world." In practice, that meant a strategy centered on sustainable growth, digitalization, high-quality public services delivered equally to all, and positioning the city as a global test-bed for start-ups and smart-city innovation. Under his leadership, Helsinki strengthened its international profile and partnerships and became a frequent reference point in global discussions about urban innovation and livability. Earlier in his career, as Minister of Housing, he was behind one of Finland's most internationally admired achievements, the Housing First program, which reduced long-term homelessness by roughly half and has influenced housing policy in many other countries. Together, these define his reputation as a pragmatic leader focused on making cities and institutions genuinely work for people.
What topics does global affairs speaker Jan Vapaavuori cover?
Jan Vapaavuori speaks on the future of cities and urban leadership, economic policy and competitiveness, the Nordic model, sustainability and the green transition, and lessons in tackling major social challenges such as homelessness. His keynotes suit events on the future of cities, leadership, global affairs, the economy, and sustainability, for corporate, public-sector, and international audiences. To book Jan Vapaavuori as a speaker, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Jan Vapaavuori as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Jan Vapaavuori as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Jan Vapaavuori's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Jan Vapaavuori or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Jan Vapaavuori speaking fee?
Jan Vapaavuori speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Jan Vapaavuori to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Jan Vapaavuori.
How can I contact Jan Vapaavuori?
We only work with Jan Vapaavuori on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Jan Vapaavuori and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Jan Vapaavuori speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Jan Vapaavuori for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Jan Vapaavuori for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Jan Vapaavuori is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Jan Vapaavuori for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
