Sami Ylisaari appointed CEO of the Helsinki Events Foundation

Sami Ylisaari has been appointed as the new CEO of the Helsinki Events Foundation, which is responsible for the City of Helsinki’s largest public events. He will begin in the role on 1 June, moving to the Events Foundation from his position as Director of Culture for the City of Vantaa.

The Helsinki Events Foundation, which began operating in 2019, is responsible for the city’s largest public events and plays a key role in developing Helsinki into an even more attractive and vibrant event city. Events produced by the Foundation include Helsinki Festival, Lux Helsinki, Helsinki Day, Helsinki New Year, Baltic Herring Market and Helsinki Christmas Market. Stuba Nikula, who has served as CEO of the Events Foundation since it began operating, will move on to lead the Finnish Film Foundation from 1 August.

“Events are an essential part of Helsinki’s city strategy and international profile. I am excited to work with the staff of the Helsinki Events Foundation and its extensive network in building Helsinki’s visibility and international position and in enriching the everyday lives of its residents. I am extremely grateful for this trust and for the opportunity to be part of the remarkable story of the Helsinki Events Foundation and its role in the city’s strategic development,” Ylisaari says.

Sami Ylisaari (MA in Directing) joins the Foundation from his role as Director of Culture for the City of Vantaa, where he has been responsible for the strategic, operational and financial management of Vantaa’s cultural services, including museums, cultural centres, children’s culture and the city library. Previously, Ylisaari has worked, among other roles, as Director of Culture for the cities of Oulu and Järvenpää, in consulting and project management roles in cultural sector projects at Pink Eminence, and as Executive Director of Cirko.

“We are very pleased to welcome Ylisaari to lead the Helsinki Events Foundation. Sami has strong and versatile experience in leading both the cultural sector and public organisations in Finland’s major cities. He has a clear, visionary understanding of how major events help build a city’s vitality and community. We believe that his experience provides an excellent foundation for strengthening Helsinki’s position as an internationally attractive event city,” says Jenni Pajunen, Chair of the Board of the Helsinki Events Foundation.

Image: Saara Autere