After five years in Helsinki, we say goodbye – but not farewell

When Noah Law moved to Helsinki in 2018 to work as an Investment Analyst at Finnfund, the organisation was much smaller and the working language was Finnish. “I actually preferred it that way”, he says. “I really wanted to integrate and learn the language. It did help though that everyone was very welcoming.” Moving to Finland from the UK was a big change. Law had previously worked abroad for a shorter period of time, but this time he was going to stay in Finland for years. “I was a migrant, not an expat”, he says.

Today, Noah Law is an Investment Manager with a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Oxford which he obtained during a study leave from Finnfund. So, a lot has happened during these five years – also for Finnfund. Today, there are over 100 employees in Helsinki and last year, another office was opened in Nairobi, Kenya. Since the pandemic, the employees have been able to combine working from home with working at the modern, open office in Ruoholahti where Finnfund moved in 2019. “I quite liked the retro style of the old office!” says Law, walking down memory lane. “But I guess in many ways, Finnfund is better placed for growth now.”

Talking about the pandemic, how was it to come back after a study leave to an organisation that had gone through it? “Finnfund has always been quite a social workplace”, he says. “Even if the spirit of collaboration took a hit during the remote working period, I think the fun aspect of the company culture has slowly come back.” It’s obvious that he has enjoyed spending time with his colleagues both at work and off work. “I will definitely miss the people here” he says. “Finnfund has really done a great job finding people who are intelligent, vibrant and interested in the world and it has been a pleasure to get to know everyone.”

Even if he’s leaving Finnfund, he will continue working in development finance. “I am really looking forward to my new role in active portfolio management”, he says. “Finnfund will definitely stay on my radar, not least because we have investments in common.” One of the things he will keep a close eye on is the forestry industry that he has been working on during his years at Finnfund. Working for a leading global investor in forestry, Law has seen how much potential the industry has in Africa, for example. And even if he’s leaving Helsinki, he will forever consider the Finnish capital home. “Living here may not be the obvious choice if you’re not born here” he says. “It may also not be always easy, but if you are interested in experiencing the Nordic lifestyle and work-life balance, I absolutely recommend you to give it a try.”

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