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IBC Seminar on "The Corporate Perspective on AI"

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IBC Seminar on "The Corporate Perspective on AI"

When
15 Jan 2026
15:00 - 19:30
Location
Restaurant BANK, Fabianinkatu 21, Helsinki. Pls note the change of venue.

In collaboration with the Embassy of Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, IBC is excited to host an exclusive seminar exploring 'The Corporate Perspective on AI'.

Featuring a selection of the finest Finnish and Irish expertise, the event shall open with an expert keynote to set the stage, followed by an in-depth panel discussion and Q&A session exploring the impacts, challenges, and opportunities of AI in the corporate landscape.

In keeping with tradition, Ambassador Sherlock and his Team have kindly invited all to a post-event reception at his residence to which a bus transfer will be available.

Keynote Speaker and Moderator

Antti Merilehto

AI Entrepeneur and Co-Founder of ELEV

..

Panel

Ilona Ylinampa

Deputy Managing Director, Fujitsu Finland and Estonia

George Ardagh

Sales Director of Tines Ltd, Dublin

Tal Katzav

AI Center of Excellence Lead, Wärtsilä

Terho Virrankoski

VP for AI & Data Transformation at Valio

Jonathan Vincent

Data Scientist and Reporter in Financial Times

Antti Merilehto

AI Entrepeneur and Co-Founder of ELEV

Antti Merilehto is an AI entrepreneur and the Co-founder of ELEV, a leading AI transformation company. With hands-on experience from over 300 organizational AI transformations across the Nordics, DACH region, and MENA, Antti brings a practical, real-world perspective to artificial intelligence. He is the bestselling author of a widely acclaimed book on AI, his career includes Google together with prior roles as CEO of an AI startup and Country Manager for a US tech company. Recognized for his engaging style and deep expertise, Antti has been awarded Speaker of the Year by Finnish event organizers.

Ilona Ylinampa

Deputy Managing Director, Fujitsu Finland and Estonia

Ilona Ylinampa works as the Deputy Managing Director of Fujitsu Finland & Estonia. She is also a board professional and business influencer with extensive experience in B2B operations, ranging from growth companies to international corporations. Ilona has been awarded Sales Director of the Year in Finland in 2019 and has been selected among Finland’s Top 100 IT Influencers from 2021 to 2024. In addition, she serves as Vice Chair of the Innovation and Competitiveness Committee of the Technology Industries of Finland, as well as Vice Chair of the Board at Funidata and Savon Kuljetus. Ilona is passionate about how growth and technology can be leveraged to build a human-centric information society, thereby strengthening sustainable economic success and security.

George Ardagh

Sales Director of Tines Ltd, Dublin

George Ardagh is Head of UKI & Nordics Sales at Tines, Ireland's latest techstart-up to achieve 'unicorn' status and focused on delivering intelligent workflow platforms trusted by companies like Snowflake, Canva, and Databricks. With over 20 years’ experience in SaaS, cybersecurity, and enterprise sales leadership, he has scaled teams and driven growth across EMEA at companies including Dropbox and Forcepoint. An entrepreneur at heart, George blends commercial rigor with hands-on experience building businesses, giving him a practical perspective on how enterprises can adopt and operationalize AI to deliver measurable impact.

Tal Katzav

AI Center of Excellence Lead, Wärtsilä

Tal Katzav is the General Manager of the AI Centre of Excellence at Wärtsilä, based in Helsinki. With over two decades of experience in data analytics and artificial intelligence, Tal leads a multidisciplinary team focused on turning AI concepts into practical, scalable solutions. The team has delivered more than 60 AI applications across the marine and energy sectors, with a strong emphasis on moving from proof of concept to production in close collaboration with business units.

Terho Virrankoski

VP for AI & Data Transformation at Valio

Terho Virrankoski is Vice President responsible for AI & Data Transformation at Valio, where he leads large-scale organizational change and drives the seamless integration of data, technology, and people. With deep experience in both people leadership and transformation management, Terho is known for his ability to guide teams through complex shifts with clarity, empathy, and strategic insight. A passionate advocate for innovating with data, he focuses on building environments where human expertise and advanced analytics reinforce each other to create meaningful, sustainable impact across the business. Terho’s leadership philosophy centers on people, purpose, and progress—ensuring that transformation is not only successful, but inspiring.

Jonathan Vincent

Data Scientist and Reporter in Financial Times

Jonathan Vincent is a data scientist and reporter working in the Financial Time's visual and data journalism team. He has used AI to aid in his investigations and reporting work, for example to track Russian tank movements in the war in Ukraine. He was previously the Google News Initiative Fellow. He holds a degree in machine learning.

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Irish Business Club Finland

Founded in 1989, the Irish Business Club is Finland’s premier network dedicated to fostering and advancing commercial and cultural connections between Finnish and Irish enterprises, with a specific emphasis on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

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