Little Finlandia
Karamzininranta 4
00100 Helsinki
Krogerus Disputes Day 2025 – Strategic Projects
Join us for Krogerus Disputes Day 2025, our annual live conference offering practical insights to help companies navigate the complexities of legal disputes.
Date & time: Tuesday, 18 March 2025 from 12 noon till 7 pm
Venue: Little Finlandia, Karamzininranta 4, Helsinki
The theme of the event is Strategic Projects. Strategic projects – be they greenfield production facilities, acquisitions, or new product or service launches – are the backbone of many sectors. Strategic projects drive growth, innovation and large-scale development and are a necessity for remaining competitive. However, these projects often come with a unique set of challenges that can result in disputes, especially when the complexity and financial stakes are high, and regulatory environments grow more complex by the day. Disputes Day 2025 will focus on navigating the intricate operational landscape of different types of strategic projects, providing practical insights and expert perspectives on how to manage risks and resolve disputes effectively in such high-stakes projects.
Our confirmed guest speakers include:
- Gary Born, Chair of the International Arbitration Practice Group, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP
- Susan Repo, Chief Financial Officer, ICEYE
- Wilhelm Barner-Rasmussen, Professor & Head, School of Business and Economics, Åbo Akademi University
- Nuno Bizarro, Senior Lawyer, General Counsel & Corporate Governance, Sonae
- Andrew Cannon, Partner, Global Co-Head of International Arbitration and of Public International Law, Herbert Smith Freehills
- Johanna Ijäs, VP, Head of Compliance & Risk Management, Metso
- Leena Kujansuu-Tikkanen, Senior Counsel, Global Litigation, Hitachi Energy
- Micaela Thorström, Executive Vice President, Legal and General Counsel, Stora Enso
The event is hosted by Partner, Head of Dispute Resolution, Kirsi Kannaste , Partner Thomas Kolster and other Krogerus’ dispute resolution practitioners.
We hope you can join us for Krogerus Disputes Day 2025!
Programme
Registration and lunch
Introduction to the Theme
- Kirsi Kannaste, Partner, Head of Dispute Resolution, Krogerus
- Thomas Kolster, Partner, Dispute Resolution, Krogerus
Keynote I: Managing Risks and Disputes Is a High-Stakes Game - The CFO’s Perspective
- Susan Repo, Chief Financial Officer, ICEYE
Panel Discussion: Successful Project Management from Planning to Execution
Panelists:
- Leena Kujansuu-Tikkanen, Senior Counsel, Global Litigation, Hitachi Energy
- Wilhelm Barner-Rasmussen, Professor & Head, School of Business and Economics, Åbo Akademi University
- Sami Laine, Partner, Co-Head of Energy practice, Head of Environment practice, Krogerus
- Moderator: Thomas Kolster, Partner, Dispute Resolution, Krogerus
Interview: Strategic Project Triggered by External Disruption – Lessons Learned
- Johanna Ijäs, VP, Head of Compliance & Risk Management, Metso
- Interviewer: Mikko Iso-Aho, Counsel, Dispute Resolution, Krogerus
Coffee break
Panel Discussion: Managing Business Critical Disputes
Panelists:
- Andrew Cannon, Partner, Global Co-Head of International Arbitration and of Public International Law, Herbert Smith Freehills
- Micaela Thorström, Executive Vice President, Legal and General Counsel, Stora Enso
- Nuno Bizarro, Senior Lawyer, General Counsel & Corporate Governance, Sonae
- Moderator: Kirsi Kannaste, Partner, Head of Dispute Resolution, Krogerus
Keynote ll: Recent Developments in International Arbitration
- Gary Born, Chair of the International Arbitration Practice Group, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP
Closing Remarks
- Kirsi Kannaste, Partner, Head of Dispute Resolution, Krogerus
- Thomas Kolster, Partner, Dispute Resolution, Krogerus
Cocktails
Meet our speakers
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.
Chief Financial Officer
ICEYE
Susan Repo is the Chief Financial Officer of ICEYE, the global leader in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite design, manufacturing, and operations for high-fidelity Earth Observation, persistent monitoring, and natural catastrophe solutions. Since joining ICEYE's high-growth journey in February 2021, Repo has led the finance, legal, corporate development, and day-to-day operations, including HR, IT & security, global supply chain, and all its subsidiaries. Under Ms. Repo’s leadership, the company has achieved a milestone of $100 million in annual revenues and has attracted nearly $440M in total funding.
Before joining ICEYE, Ms. Repo held executive roles in several high-growth companies, including as Chief Operating Officer or COO of MariaDB, an open-source data management system company, the COO and then being promoted to CEO and President of DriveOn, an automotive fintech company offering consumers a new way to get any vehicle without a credit score and with attractive financing, and as the CFO and then COO of a global mobility company. In 2013, Ms. Repo joined Tesla as a finance executive wearing several finance, operational and legal hats, eventually becoming the Vice President of Finance and Corporate Treasurer, the CFO for Tesla Finance, its financial services division, and leading several growth and expansion initiatives globally. During her five years with Tesla, Ms. Repo guided Tesla through its hyper-growth global expansion of electric vehicles and sustainable energy products. She raised over $13 billion of Tesla’s capital and led Tesla’s acquisition of SolarCity in 2016, which presented investor and shareholder opposition from the beginning. Ms. Repo led the negotiations of the first gigafactory, the assembly, and manufacturing plants in California, the Netherlands, and China.
With close to 30 years of U.S. and international business experience in Asia Pacific and Europe at Tesla, Juniper Networks, Sanmina-SCI, and Hewlett Packard / Agilent Technologies and her international upbringing, Ms. Repo strategically positions technology growth companies and has proven to lead organizations through strategic and complex business transformations, company-wide restructurings, and M&A acquisitions and integrations. Throughout her career, Ms. Repo has witnessed significant disputes and managed the company's risks and governance positions. Ms. Repo received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a Finance concentration from the University of Southern California and her Juris Doctorate in Law from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago-Kent College of Law, completing her study of law at Stanford University.
In addition to her operating roles, Ms. Repo has served as a member of the board of directors for Mitek Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: MITK) since 2021 and Matterport (NASDAQ: MTTR) since 2022, both companies for which she chairs the Audit Committee and serves as a member of the Nominations and Governance Committee. She is also a member of the Board and has served on the Audit Committee of General Motors Financial Bank since 2020. Most recently, in 2024, Ms. Repo joined the Board of Directors and is an Audit Committee member of the Fiskars Group Oy (NASDAQ: FSKRS) She also served from 2018 to 2023 on the board of directors for the largest battery manufacturing recycling organization in the U.S., Call2Recycle, Inc.
Ms. Repo received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a Finance concentration from the University of Southern California and her Juris Doctorate in Law from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago-Kent College of Law, completing her study of law at Stanford University. Ms. Repo is a qualified Member of the California Bar Association and a qualified Member of the U.S. Court of Appeals of the Ninth Circuit.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Registration
Registration is open until Monday, 3 March or until the event is fully booked. As places at the event are limited, we encourage you to register at your earliest convenience.
The event is intended for General Counsels, other in-house lawyers, senior executives and colleagues from international law firms. Participation is free of charge.
Event venue
The conference will be held at Little Finlandia, a unique wooden event centre set amid the most beautiful scenery in Helsinki.
Little Finlandia
Karamzininranta 4
00100 Helsinki
Accommodation
There are several hotels offering special rates to event attendees. For detailed information, please contact Krogerus' Event Marketing Specialist Hanna Ulkuniemi (hanna.ulkuniemi@krogerus.com or +358 40 123 9151).
Krogerus Disputes Day 2024
Couldn't make it to Krogerus Disputes Day 2024? Disputes Day 2024 was a great success with over 200 registrations from around Europe. Find out more on the event website.
About Krogerus
Krogerus is one of the leading business law firms in Finland, advising Finnish and international clients in a broad spectrum of dispute resolution, transactional and regulatory matters. We are particularly apt at issues that pertain to the energy, finance, food and beverage, healthcare, real estate, technology and communications sectors. Krogerus is regularly retained in some of the most challenging and high-profile assignments in the market. Find out more about our expertise here.
Contact us
If you have any questions regarding the event, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Hanna Ulkuniemi
Event Marketing Specialist
Krogerus
hanna.ulkuniemi@krogerus.com
+358 40 123 9151