Congratulations FBC for twenty years of work dedicated to the well-being of FBC members and to the success of FBC member companies in UAE, as business council member of DCCI Business Council Network since 2004.
It is wonderful to have had the chance to witness the establishment of FBC and its rapid growth and evolution through two decades, while being the first Chairman of FBC and having been re-elected as Chairman several times thereafter. During most of my years spent in Dubai, I was member of FBC Board. I moved back to Finland in August 2015.
Recently, in February 2024, I read an extensive article published in the leading Finnish newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat, on Dubai being the leading entrepreneurial haven for Finnish companies. Well, this was the case already in early 2000, when I moved back to UAE having earlier resided in Abu Dhabi 1995-97 and settled in Dubai – the construction of Dubai Marina only commenced officially in 2003.
In twenty years, in my mind, Dubai matured from a large city into a metropolitan with its booming economy and elaborate underground, multi-ethnic culture.
FBC, or rather FBG, Finnish Business Group, was initiated by the Finnish ambassador, HE Risto Rekola. Already in late 1990’s HE Risto Rekola often spoke at Dubai Golf Club about forming a Finnish Business Group comprising Finnish companies operating in UAE. HE Ambassador Rekola did in fact form an unofficial group of 35 Finnish companies, who occasionally held meetings chaired by the Ambassador.
At the end of 2003 an FBG meeting was held at the office of Axel Digital ME in Abu Dhabi, in which a preparatory group was formed to evaluate and take actions to officialize FBG in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The meeting participants included a.o. HE Risto Rekola, Tito Gronow, Reima Okkola, Juho Halinen, Risto Marttila and myself, Pekka Rautimo.
As appointed member of the preparatory group, I frequently visited DCCI in Dubai in 2004 to discuss FBG becoming a member of DCCI Business Council network. One main prerequisite was to provide DCCI with a constitution for legal approval by DCCI. I received a copy of the Italian BC Constitution as a model, to be revised according to the needs of the new FBC.
An FBG Preparatory meeting was held in Abu Dhabi 14.01.2004, in which the activities of FBG were defined and the new FBC Board was tentatively nominated for approval.
DCCI held regular Business Council Roundtable meetings at the DCCI Building in Deira, Dubai, which meetings were enthusiastically attended by all business council representatives of multiple countries. For many, many years these meetings were chaired by Mr. Hassan Al Hashemi, of DCCI.
Normally FBC attended these meetings mainly with two representatives, FBC Chairman with FBC secretary or with representative of an FBC member company. Meeting news and/or DCCI notifications were forwarded to FBC members via FinnBiz website.
The Business Council Network of DCCI was one of the many initiatives taken by HRH Sheikh Mohammad Al Maktoum to promote, especially, Dubai as an international, entrepreneurial hub. And business was thriving in UAE.
In those days I once visited a Finnish firm, which had hired a young Indian man as driver/office boy, and by chance I overheard his telephone conversation with his acquaintance saying: “…Ok, ok – but what is in it for me?..”. I only then, jokingly, realised that the government boosted entrepreneurism in UAE had reached all levels of society.
We also had to create a unique identity for FBC: logo, letterhead, biz cards, website, etc. Regarding the logo, we asked ourselves, what do UAE and Finland have in abundance – water (lakes) / Finland, desert / UAE – and do these two elements of nature have anything in common – yes – waves (ripples) in water – sand wave formations in the desert, which themes then did influence the current logo of FBC.
Axel Digital ME, a Finnish graphical firm located in Abu Dhabi, developed and finalized these items, including FBC website, at non-cost. These items and website were presented 14.12.2004 at FBC AGM by MD Risto Marttila, of Axel Digital ME.
Through the years, FBC Boards held regular, minuted meetings with an agenda prepared in advance. Activities of FBC were primarily based on the Yearly Action Plan prepared by the Board and presented at the AGM, Annual General Members’ Meeting. With delight and respect, I recall such dominant members of FBC Boards, as: Keijo Kuru, Reima Okkola, Sam-Erik Ruttmann, Markku Järvinen, and many others.
On the official side, FBC interacted closely with the Finnish Embassy, with the successive Finnish ambassadors being appointed Honourary Chairmen and Finpro representative or commercial attache being permanent member of the FBC Board. Through the years I recall embassy-related members on FBC Boards included: Matti Ruuskanen, Tito Gronov, Riku Niemelä, Tuomo Hyysalo, Jarmo Kuuttila, Esa Hurtig, etc.
FBC was also invited to many official occasions hosted by the Finnish Embassy for visiting Finnish delegations, such as: visit by Minister Mauri Pekkarinen (2010), Defence Minister Jyrki Häkämies (2010), Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen and Foreign Trade Minister Alexander Stubb (2013). And all Finns, who participated, remember the open-to-all-Finns Indepedence Day occasions held in Abu Dhabi, lavishly hosted by the Finnish Embassy.
On the social side, FBC engaged with the other Nordic countries: Sweden, Norway and Denmark. The regularly held Nordic Sundowner, hosted in turn by the Nordic BC’s, was/still is a popular, regular, socializing event. On the business side, the Nordic BC’s sometimes held ‘joint’ Board Meetings. Especially I recall the long-term chairman of the Danish BC, Mr. Jens Lund, Swedish BC Chairwoman, Ms Linda Nordin, and Chairman of Norweigen BG, Mr. Torger Baardseth.
Our own FBC social events included: golf tournaments, Christmas party, various themed gatherings and lectures. On the activity fringe of FBC was even the FBC Ice Hockey Team, as an example.
An organisation like FBC does not function on its own, it depends on the committed activity of members and strong dedication/support of member companies, that do count and facilitate things happen.
Through the years, I have, with gratitude, met with so many wonderful Finnish people within the realm of FBC or on the various FBC Boards - an unforgettable experience of a life time - thank you all.
Once the FBC ladies (Jaana, Tarja, Katihanna, Johanna…Erika) took over the leadership of FBC before and after my last term 2010-2013, FBC started to truly flourish.
Wishing FBC, its members and member companies all the best for the future.
Pekka Rautimo
Honourary Chairman
Finnish Business Council
Ps. Do forgive me, if I have not noted some essential FBC matter/occasion or named some person in particular, but all said happened within a span of twenty years and at least ten years ago.
