Hanna Loikkanen, M.Sc., who has a long experience working as a board professional and in international investment management positions, has been appointed as the Chief Investment Officer of the state-owned development financier and impact investor Finnfund. Loikkanen will start as Finnfund’s CIO in January 2024.
“Hanna has extensive experience in successfully financing private companies in emerging and transition markets. In addition to her operational experience, she has served on several company boards and is familiar with the issues relevant to impact investors and development financiers in our markets and regulatory environments. We are excited to have her unique combination of expertise and experience in our team,” says Finnfund’s CEO Jaakko Kangasniemi.
Loikkanen has previously worked in management positions, for example, at Nordea and East Capital. Loikkanen is also a strong expert on Russia, as she has worked in management positions at the Russian companies FIM, SEB, and Merita Bank. Loikkanen is also familiar with Finnfund, as she has been a board member since spring 2020.
“I am excited to join Finnfund in this new capacity. This role combines my interest in emerging markets and my passion for sustainability and impact investments. Finnfund is a highly respected development financier in emerging markets with a wealth of relevant sector expertise, e.g., in digital infrastructure and forestry, enabling us to make impactful, commercially sustainable investments. I look forward to working with all the Finnfund stakeholders”, says Hanna Loikkanen.
Finnfund is a Finnish development financier and impact investor. We build a sustainable future and generate lasting impact by investing in businesses that solve global development challenges. We invest 200–250 million euros in 20–30 companies in developing countries each year. Our focus sectors include renewable energy, sustainable forestry, sustainable agriculture, financial institutions, and digital infrastructure and solutions. Today, Finnfund’s investments, commitments, and investment decisions total about 1.22 billion euros, half of them in Africa. The company has 100 employees based in Helsinki and Nairobi. For more information, please visit www.finnfund.fi