Krogerus Disputes Day 2025 – Strategic Projects

Gary Born
Chair of the International Arbitration Practice Group
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP

Gary Born is Chair of the International Arbitration Practice Group at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP and the world’s pre-eminent authority on international commercial arbitration and international litigation. He has served as counsel in over 675 arbitrations, including several of the largest arbitrations in ICC and ad hoc history, and has sat as arbitrator in more than 250 institutional and ad hoc arbitrations.

Mr. Born has published a number of leading works on international arbitration, international litigation and other forms of dispute resolution. He is the author of International Commercial Arbitration (Third Edition, Kluwer 2020), the leading treatise in the field, which has received the American Society of International Law’s Certificate of Merit for High Technical Craftsmanship and OGEMID’s Book of the Year award for 2009. He is an Honorary Professor of Law at the University of St Gallen, Switzerland and Tsinghua University, Beijing, and teaches regularly at law schools in Europe, Asia and North and South America.

Mr. Born is a former President of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) Court of Arbitration, a member of the International Advisory Board of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC), a member of the International Arbitration Committee of the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (KCAB), a member of the Global Advisory Board of the New York International Arbitration Center (NYIAC), and a member of the Jerusalem Arbitration Center’s Court of Arbitration.

Among many accolades, Mr. Born has received the Global Arbitration Review inaugural “Advocate of the Year” award, the Client Choice award for “Best International Arbitration Practitioner” and the Best Lawyers “London Arbitration Lawyer of the Year” award. He is one of only two practitioners in London and globally to achieve “starred” status for international arbitration in the Chambers guides. In 2018 Chambers recognized him for his “Outstanding Contribution to the Legal Profession,” describing him as the world’s foremost authority on international arbitration and litigation, “in a class of his own” and “revered around the world for his work on international commercial and investor arbitration.”

Mr. Born is also the author of “The File,” a best-selling spy thriller.

Juhani Pitkänen
General Counsel
Valmet Automotive

Juhani is an experienced General Counsel with a diverse background from a number of industries, including traditional industries and start-ups. Like so many colleagues, he was too trained at law firms in the early years of his career. He is passionate about people, gaining the position of a trusted adviser, high ethics and always doing the right thing.

Wilhelm Barner-Rasmussen
Professor & Head
School of Business and Economics
Åbo Akademi University

Professor Wilhelm Barner-Rasmussen (PhD 2003, Hanken School of Economics, Helsinki) heads the AACSB-accredited School of Business and Economics at Åbo Akademi University in Turku, Finland. His research focuses on international business, with specific expertise in interunit relationships, boundary spanning and knowledge sharing between units of multinational corporations (MNCs). It has been published in leading scholarly outlets in management, entrepreneurship, international business, and international marketing. Barner-Rasmussen’s work has especially contributed to understanding how cultural and language skills support boundary spanning within MNCs.

Nuno Bizarro
Senior Lawyer, General Counsel & Corporate Governance
Sonae

Nuno Bizarro is a Senior Legal Counsel, at Sonae SGPS, with over 20 years of expertise in M&A, Capital Markets, Corporate and Commercial law, excelling in strategic advisory roles across multinational corporations like Sonae, Multi Corporation, MysticInvest. Renowned for his business acumen and result-driven approach, he has successfully led high-profile cross border transactions, including IPOs and complex restructuring. With a multilingual background and experience across Europe and South America, Nuno is adept at aligning legal frameworks with organizational strategy, fostering innovation, and ensuring compliance. A resilient leader and lifelong learner, he thrives on challenges, cultural exploration, and contributing to transformative business outcomes.

Andrew Cannon
Partner, Global Co-Head of International Arbitration and of Public International Law
Herbert Smith Freehills

Andrew Cannon is the Global Co-Head of HSF's International Arbitration practice and of their Public International Law practice. He acts for clients in international arbitrations under the rules of all major arbitral institutions, and in high profile litigation cases before a range of international and domestic judicial bodies. Andrew is appointed to the UK Attorney General’s Public International Law (PIL) "A" panel of counsel, is Vice-President of the European Users' Council of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) and is a member of the Executive Board of the European Federation for Investment Law and Arbitration (EFILA).

Johanna Ijäs
VP, Head of Compliance & Risk Management
Metso

Johanna Ijäs is the VP, Head of Compliance & Risk at Metso Corporation, where she leads the development and implementation of compliance and risk management strategies across Metso’s global operations. During her 10+ years in the industry, she has gained hands-on experience navigating complex projects and regulatory environments, while balancing risks and opportunities for sustainable growth. Johanna’s international experience, including her time heading legal and contract management in the Asia Pacific region, enhances her global perspective.

Leena Kujansuu-Tikkanen
Senior Counsel, Global Litigation
Hitachi

Leena Kujansuu-Tikkanen is an experienced legal expert currently serving as Senior Counsel, Global Litigation at Hitachi Energy leading strategic dispute resolution globally. Leena has extensive experience in managing complex legal challenges and risk management. Previously, Leena worked as Head of Legal for Hitachi Energy in Finland and Estonia and has a strong background in law firms working in particular with dispute resolution.

Micaela Thorström
Executive Vice President, Legal and General Counsel
Stora Enso

Micaela Thorström is the Executive Vice President, Legal and General Counsel at Stora Enso. Micaela leads the global legal department at Stora Enso and has a strong inhouse counsel background, with a particular focus on board work and governance. In previous roles, Micaela has been responsible for corporate advisory, public M&A, and general business law at several leading law firms in Finland.

Heikki Viitikko
Investor

Heikki is a seasoned leader and entrepreneur with 30 years of experience of running and developing companies, from small startups to large multinational companies. He has led companies that are going through rapid growth, but he has also been involved with turnaround businesses that have required corporate revitalisation. The last 15 years Heikki has also been heavily involved with properties. He has worked overseas for more than 13 years.

Kirsi Kannaste
Partner
Krogerus

Kirsi heads Krogerus' Dispute Resolution practice. She specialises in commercial dispute resolution with a particular focus on international arbitration and competition litigation. Kirsi has also valuable experience from advising clients in relation to management liability issues and corporate offences. Kirsi also acts as an arbitrator, and she is an approved mediator for the Finnish Bar Association.

Thomas Kolster
Partner
Krogerus

Thomas is a dispute resolution lawyer specialised in commercial litigation and arbitration. He has a special focus on disputes relating to the financial sector, M&A and international trade and transport. Thomas also advices customers on trade compliance issues, including AML, export control and sanctions. His knowledge and understanding of the financial sector combined with his extensive work experience from the Finnish courts (including the Finnish Supreme Court) makes him unique on the Finnish legal market.

Sami Laine
Partner
Krogerus

Sami co-heads our Energy practice and is also in charge of our Environment practice. He assists clients in transactions and projects especially in heavily regulated industries such as energy, infrastructure and natural resources. Sami has also comprehensive knowledge of environmental laws and regulatory matters, which he leverages for the benefit of our clients both in transactional work and standalone advice.

Mikko Iso-Aho
Counsel
Krogerus

Mikko advises clients on commercial dispute resolution, internal investigations and contentious regulatory matters. His areas of specialisation include M&A and corporate disputes, as well as disputes relating to international trade and other commercial contracts. Mikko has wide-ranging experience in representing domestic and international clients in complex and high-stakes disputes before general and administrative courts and arbitral tribunals. He also regularly assists clients in the enforcement of arbitral awards and foreign judgments.

Joar Cederberg
Associate
Krogerus

Joar focuses on commercial dispute resolution assignments. He advises clients on general court litigation and disputes heard before arbitral tribunals. Joar started working at Krogerus' Dispute Resolution practice already as a law student. Prior to graduating he also gained valuable experience from working as a trainee at other leading law firms.

Leo Varttala
Associate
Krogerus

Leo focuses on commercial dispute resolution assignments. He advises clients on general court litigation and disputes heard before arbitral tribunals. Leo started working at our firm already as a law student, gaining valuable experience before joining the Dispute Resolution practice.

Oona Uusimaa
Associate
Krogerus

Oona focuses on commercial dispute resolution assignments. She advises clients on general court litigation and disputes heard before arbitral tribunals. Oona started working at our Dispute Resolution practice already as a law student. Prior to graduating she has also gained valuable experience from working as a trainee at another leading law firm. During her studies, Oona was a member of the University of Helsinki's team at the Willem C. Vis Moot Court Competition, the largest moot court competition in the field of international arbitration.