Regional Developer Eero Venäläinen guiding Helsinki-Uusimaa forward

– I am quite experienced in regional development, and I am familiar with the operational environment. I am still enthusiastic, even if my working career at the Council has been long, the new Director says.

Mr Venäläinen, who started working at the Council in 2002 considers it being an employer with versatile challenges to offer. He was working as Deputy Regional Development Director from December 2023.

For two and a half years Mr Venäläinen was the Head of Helsinki EU Office, administered by the Council. He has been working as the Director of International Affairs and was involved in starting the EU Services unit focused on helping with project planning. During 2017–2019 he was working for the project preparing the reform of regional government in Helsinki-Uusimaa.

The operating environment changing all the time

The Council is about to start preparing a new Regional Programme and the thematic land use plan for green transition. Reforms concerning the entire state are on their way.

We have just had the health and social services reform, now employment areas are being formed. The reform of regional state administration affects the operating environment of the regional councils, as well as the regional development in its entity, listed by him.

Also at European level new guidelines are expected from the Commission and they are leading us to make decisions for the future years. Preparations for a new period of EU Funding Programmes 2028–34 are on the go. The future funding for, among others, cohesion policy, RDI and rural development is important in regional development.

– The severe situation in state finances is affecting many actors. If we wish to keep our position at the top of innovative European regions, we need to attract international investments and at the same time make our strong inputs with regard to research, development and innovation, he states.

Solutions are also needed for the huge workforce challenge, which according to Mr Venäläinen is important for municipalities and companies. There are a lot of long-term unemployed in our Region, parallelly with a lack of skilled workforce.

The new Regional Development Director thinks that the Russian war of aggression to Ukraine resulting in a very severe situation is a challenge of its own kind to our whole country.

– Overall, the reachability of Southern Finland is essential, so consequently, the traffic solutions are important to us.

Supporting pillars for the future

– Strong innovation activities are the asset of our Region. We also have skilled workforce. Our Region is the most international in Finland and global connections are vital to us, Mr Venäläinen outlines.

Important focus areas of business in RDI are bioproducts, circular economy and new forms of energy, health and pharmaceuticals, well-being and quantum computing. The focus areas also share strong joint ecosystems.

Mr Venäläinen finds that RDI industries and actors are the strong basis for the future development in the region. He is convinced Helsinki-Uusimaa will make it despite all challenges, because he believes in its strengths. The Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council makes strong efforts in developing the cooperation with municipalities.

– We have a versatile Regional Programme, and it feels good to reach for its targets. The targets offer challenges, but you should also always aim high.

The strategic objective of the Regional Programme is to become a carbon-neutral region in 2030. Our objective is to increase the regional research and development expenditure to 5 per cent of the region’s GDP by 2030 as well as achieve an employment rate of 80 per cent in the region.

– If our Region manages to reach these targets, it is a prerequisite that the entire country is successful, he points out.

Feeling at home in Helsinki-Uusimaa

Mr Venäläinen has lived half of his life in the region. He feels like a native in the region and in Espoo, even if his Savonian identity and Kuopio are visible now and then.

– Our family has truly enjoyed living in Espoo, as it is offers the possibility to be surrounded by deep forest or alternatively reach the seashore in just ten minutes.

His favourite place in Helsinki-Uusimaa is Espoo’s Waterfront Walkway.
– I enjoy strolling around and there are nice cafés, as well, Mr Venäläinen tells us.  

For more information, please contact:

Eero Venäläinen
Director, Regional Development
+358 40 525 1944
eero.venalainen@uudenmaanliitto.fi