More about speakers
Vice-rector Stefan Willför
(Åbo Akademi University)
Stefan is the vice-rector at Åbo Akademi University and a professor of renewable materials chemistry. He is the Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering at Åbo Akademi University, since 2010.
Elina Koskela
(Barona)
Elina has almost 20 years of experience in the recruitment business in Finland and 15 years of experience in recruiting and working with employees from other countries. She is passionate to help Nordic Countries to find global talents and to settle for life as well as to helping global talents to find their place in Nordic societies.
Michael Lindholm
(Turku Business Region)
Michael has been an entrepreneur in the ICT sector for over 25 years and joined Turku Science Park Ltd in December 2017. He has also more than ten years in the entrepreneur organisation which included vice chairman of Turku Entrepreneurs, a member of Southwest Finland and Finnish entrepreneurs of the Board and Chairman of the national Swedish Network as well as a board member of Finnish Enterprises. He was the chairman of Åbo Svenska Teater 2016-2020.
His areas of expertise are entrepreneurship, networking and internationalisation, as well as technology-focused networks in the creative industries nationally and internationally. He is responsible for the coordination of intelligent technology, such as AI and ICT in the area, as well as cooperation with the SME and large companies. He has also a close cooperation with business, universities, educational institutions and the public sector to create a basis for new innovations as well as successful new products.
Ann-Jolin Grüne
(Finnish Refugee Councils)
Ann-Jolin Grüne has an BA with Honours in International relations with Development studies from the University of Sussex and an MA in Development studies from University of Helsinki. She has worked with integration issues in Finland since 2008 in different capacities and organisations.
Robert Nygård
(idBBN)
Robert is an economist, analyst and data scientist with a strong analytical background and an exceptionally extensive experience in Artificial Intelligence. Robert has a Master of Economics from Åbo Akademi University, majoring in Information Systems and has minors from marketing and economics, with elective courses in computer science.
Robert is part of ID BBN’s data & insight team, focusing on data analysis and managing the teams’ operations.
Jan Kraufvelin
(ÅAU Career Services)
Jan Kraufvelin has been working at Åbo Akademi University Career Services for the last ~15 years. He has a master’s degree in political science from Åbo Akademi University, and has also studied career coaching at University of Turku, HE administration and management at Tampere University. He is also a certified user of Thomas International Personal Profile Analysis (PPA).
Jan has a professional interest in the well-being of students and labour market issues. He has also been working with international students for a long time and he has been involved in different projects e.g. concerning labour market placements of international students and cooperation with the business sector.
Åbo Akademi University Alumni
Farhan Ahmad
(Turku School of Economics)
Farhan Ahmad is university teacher in information systems in Turku School of Economics, University of Turku. He is also doctoral supervisor and external examiner in Edinburgh Business School, Herriot-Watt University, UK. Previously he has worked in Åbo Akademi University Finland, Edinburgh Business School UK and Edge Hill University Business School UK as lecturer. Ahmad has two master degrees, one in Business and Management and the other in Sociological Demography, both completed in Stockholm University, Sweden. He completed his PhD at Åbo Akademi University in 2018.
Jie Guo
Jie Guo is a business strategist, with a doctoral degree specialised in information systems and network economics. Jie is passionate about helping businesses to focus and grow. She has working experience in business development, project management and business consulting in both Finland and China. Her work focuses on digital business ecosystems, aligning data analysis with business objectives and implementing business strategies.
Fuad Khan
(PBI Research Institute)
Fuad Khan is an analyst and consultant at PBI Research Institute in Turku, Finland. He works as a strategic consultant in the Marine, Energy, and Renewables industry. Fuad came to Finland to attend then international study program called “Digital and mobile business”, offered by Åbo Akademi University in 2016 and completed his Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration study in 2019.
Additionally, He also worked with the City of Turku / Turun Kaupunki to write his master’s thesis. After graduation, he took on the role of project assistants in two academic / start-up projects at Åbo Akademi University. Under one of these academic projects, during the academic year of November 2019- November 2020, he acted as a teacher at Åbo Akademi University’s Science and Engineering Faculty to deliver an online course “Bio innovation” for the students of Biochemistry department of several Finnish higher education universities. (Reference: https://jobitti.utu.fi/)”.
Petros Bekhet
(City of Helsinki)
Petros Bekhet is an Egyptian lawyer, who came to Finland in 2014 to study at the master’s degree program of International Human Rights Law at Åbo Akademi University. After graduation, Petros did his internship at the UN headquarter in Geneva. Upon return to Finland, Petros learnt Finnish language and worked in Kalliola setlementti NGO, where he provided legal aid to migrants, refugees as well as asylum seekers. At this work, Petros helped with issues related to Finnish immigration services, social aid systems and seeking appeal against negative decisions. In addition, Petros also helped European and American migrants succeed in getting work and/or study place in Finland.
Based on previous success in NGO work, Petros moved on to work in the public sector. Currently, Petros works as public official in the employment services at the City of Helsinki, where he forms migrants´ integration plans, issues official statements to social welfare services (KELA) and perform career coaching regarding Finnish employment market and career opportunities. Petros is very thankful for the quality education he got and the amazing friends he met through ÅAU.
Jolene Hoang
(Konecranes)
Jolene Hoang came to Finland 10 years ago for her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in Lahti University of Applied Sciences. She then continued with a Master’s Degree in Information and Knowledge Management in Åbo Akademi University, a Swedish-speaking university in beautiful Turku city.
As someone who’s always looked for new challenges to find her true passion, she has worked in multiple industries with different roles. After completing her traineeship in the field of HR Communications, Jolene now works in Global HR team at Konecranes, responsible for various projects of Learning and Development.
She was born in Saigon and had the chance to meet people and travel to different cities around the world (15 countries and counting). She believes success is nonlinear and not all who wander are lost. It’s great that you know your destination, but if not, you just need to come out of your comfort zone little by little. Enjoy the journey of self-exploration and the search for your life missions.