Liwlig's Public Affairs & Clients Director Maria Sahlstedt has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Finnish Event Industry.
Event Industry News 17.12.2025: The Finnish Event Industry Association has elected its 2026 Board of Directors at the association's meeting on Tuesday 16.12.2025. Hämeenlinna Mayor Olli-Poika Parviainen, who served as the Chairman of the Finnish Event Industry Board in 2024-25, was unanimously elected for a further term in 2026-27. “It has been wonderful to lead a growing industry association for the past two years and I am delighted that the association’s meeting has now elected me for a further term. The event industry is also an important industry for cities, increasing their appeal and retention power, which has made combining this position of trust and official work very natural”, says Olli-Poika Parviainen. “The importance of the event industry for Finland is being recognized more widely than before, but much can still be done to promote the growth and operating conditions of the industry: for example, a law on professional event organization would clarify the operating environment and taxation should support the growth industry, not tighten its operating conditions”, Parviainen continues.
The following new full members of the board will join: Kalle Halonen, SaferSpace Partners Maria Sahlstedt, LIWLIG Eero Helle, Creative Technology Finland
The following new deputy members of the board will join: Kaisa Löfgren, Prizztech Pietu Sepponen, Sunborn Live Harri Keskiaho, Ruka Nordic Sanna Reko, Tiketti Pekka Haverinen, Sokotel
“Events are of great importance to hotels, and hotels themselves are important venues for organizing meetings and other events. In addition, international events in particular bring much-needed export revenue to Finland through hotel stays. It is great to be able to contribute these perspectives to the development and advocacy of the event industry,” says Pekka Haverinen. “It is great to be able to play a central role in our industry’s advocacy work. Next year will be important due to the upcoming parliamentary elections. In the government, we will certainly work actively to strengthen the growth of the event industry and, through this, the broader well-being of society,” says Maria Sahlstedt.
The Finnish Event Industry Association is the national central organization of the event industry, with over 310 member organizations. The event industry represents professional event organizers, event venues, event technology and structure services, event ticketing, performer, security and catering services, event vendors and other event-oriented services, planning and consulting.
