Speakers

Aino Aho, Global Category Marketing Manager at Suunto

At the FrancoPro fair, multilingual Finnish professional Aino Aho will share her personal story of how the French language has been a constant companion throughout her life and career. For Aino, French is far more than just a skill – it has been a key to building meaningful relationships, seizing professional opportunities, and deepening cultural understanding. Aino grew up in Brussels, where French was her first language. Although her family later moved to Finland and she entered the Finnish school system, she eventually returned to francophone education and graduated from the Franco-Finnish School of Helsinki. The friendships and shared experiences tied to the French language during those years still hold a lasting place in her life.

Today, Aino works as Global Marketing Manager at Suunto. While she primarily works in Finnish and English, her command of French remains a valuable asset: she communicates fluently with French-speaking colleagues, reviews marketing material for the French market, and often serves as a bridge between Helsinki and francophone teams. In her previous roles at Valio and Business France, she also used French regularly in client meetings, events, and trade fairs – including the SIAL trade show in Paris. 

According to Aino, speaking French not only opens doors professionally but also enriches human relationships and intercultural exchanges – whether in friendships or in the workplace. Her journey shows how language skills can broaden horizons and advance a career in countless ways. 

Want to meet Aino? Sign up for the interview she’ll be part of at the FrancoPro fair! 

Heidi Kilpiä, CEO of Travel Agency Pamplemousse

To truly understand the added value that French language skills can bring to a business, don’t miss the conversation with Heidi Kilpiä, CEO of the travel agency Pamplemousse!  Heidi began learning French in middle school and continued through high school and university – a journey that led not only to a study abroad year in France but also to her first professional experience at an international finance company. This path ultimately led her to the tourism sector, where she now heads her own agency.French is an essential part of Heidi’s daily work: she uses it in emails, phone calls, and legal documents with French-speaking partners. Her language skills weren’t just a nice addition – they were a decisive factor in landing her current job.

For a travel professional, mastering the French language and culture adds real value for clients – most of whom are Finnish – enhancing both the service and the travel experience. According to Heidi, speaking French opens doors and builds trust in situations where English alone might not be enough. Her story shows how learning a language can truly change your life – opening up career opportunities, unforgettable experiences, and new perspectives you might never have encountered otherwise. 

Want to meet Heidi? Sign up for the interview she’ll be part of at the FrancoPro fair! 

Helmi Erkamo, Entrepreneur at Blommi

Helmi Erkamo is a Finnish entrepreneur and florist with a strong artistic eye. Her professional path is closely tied to the French language and culture. She gained her education as a florist in France – an experience made possible by her already strong language skills in French. The French perspective, aesthetics, and cultural insight she gained during her studies are clearly reflected in her work in Finland – especially in a field where beauty and elegance are the key.Even today, Helmi uses French in her work, particularly with international clients. As a florist, she often works with couples planning weddings, some of whom are French-speaking. Her ability to connect through a shared language and cultural background creates a unique sense of trust and authenticity.

Helmi emphasizes that speaking French has been a major advantage – not only in getting jobs in France and Finland but also in building her professional credibility and standing out in her field. For her, studying French has opened doors to the world, expanded her expressive capabilities, and led to unforgettable personal and professional experiences. 

At FrancoPro, Helmi will share her story as an alumni and encourage others to embrace French in their own career paths – including in creative and visual fields, where language can become a gateway to an entirely new world. 

Want to meet Helmi? Sign up for the interview she’ll be part of at the FrancoPro fair! 

Tiina Turpeinen, Project Manager at Destia

How can language skills and intercultural understanding support business goals, sustainable development, and lifelong learning? Tiina is an expert in B2B marketing, business development, and product management with extensive experience working in international technology businesses of all sizes. With a degree in industrial engineering, she currently works in strategy, corporate development and sales. As an engineer, her main interests include renewable energy, energy storage, the circular economy, and related software solutions.

Tiina’s language skills – Finnish, Swedish, English, and French – have played a key role in her international career. At FrancoPro, she’ll share how mastering French has opened doors to global collaboration and helped take her career to new levels. 

Want to meet Tiina? Sign up for the interview she’ll be part of at the FrancoPro fair and where she will share how language skills and cultural understanding come together with business-driven goals, sustainable development, and continuous learning!