Introducing Juhana Kallio, Finnish Venture Capital Association’s New Chairperson of the Board

Juhana Kallio, who was appointed as the new Chairperson of the Board at the association’s annual meeting, has worked in the finance industry for over 20 years. Working with different people and the international nature of the job have kept him dedicated to the industry for so long. Now, Kallio is harnessing his experience in his new role, and he emphasizes the significant role of the private equity and venture capital industry in building long-term growth in Finland.

Juhana Kallio is the Managing Partner of the Finnish private equity investor Intera Partners. Kallio, who grew up in Espoo, has followed a very traditional path to his current position: while in high school, he saw the Helsinki School of Economics as a good option and became interested in finance at University. He spent 12 years as an investment banker, first in London, where he quickly gained the necessary tools for the industry, and then in Finland since 2005.

“As an investment banker, I was mainly involved in international transactions and worked closely with private equity investors,” Kallio explains.

In the summer of 2023, Kallio will have been at Intera Partners for eight years, but his shared history with the team goes back further.

“When it seemed like the right time to move on from investment banking, Intera was a very natural choice for me because I knew the people beforehand and knew what an excellent team they had here,” he says.

Internationality – a Recurring Theme throughout Kallio’s Career

Intera Partners, founded in 2007, is strongly growth-oriented and a highly international player in the Finnish field – an environment that suits Kallio perfectly. In 2021, Intera also published the largest buyout fund ever raised by a Finnish team.

“At Intera, I work on the investment side and support our portfolio companies, like the other team members. With the start of my Managing Partner role last year, about half of my work now involves leading the team, developing Intera, and managing investor relations. Over half of our investors are international, and the majority of our portfolio companies are also growing internationally,” he describes.

In his free time, Kallio spends a lot of time with his family. In addition, he enjoys playing tennis and jokingly compares himself to the previous Chairperson of the association, Janne Holmia:

“The tennis skills of the association’s Chairperson have collapsed in this transition, but let’s try to compensate for mediocre tennis skills with a large amount of enthusiasm,” he says with a laugh.

Music is also strongly present in Kallio’s free time in different ways. He goes to concerts and listens to music a lot, but also plays the guitar himself.

Passionate About Working with Other People

Kallio says he decided to run as the Chairperson primarily because he considers the work of private equity and venture capital investors (PE investors) vital for the Finnish economy and society as a whole. According to an impact study, the annual revenue growth of PE investors’ portfolio companies is eight times faster than that of peer companies within three years of the initial investment. In addition, the number of personnel in PE investors’ portfolio companies grows up to 20 times faster.

“The significance of the private equity and venture capital industry is enormous. Studies show that PE investors’ investment targets grow much faster than other companies, and we support entrepreneurs and companies at every stage of this growth journey. Long-term business growth is vital for the Finnish economy and well-being,” says Kallio.

However, there is a softer side to the experienced PE investor: in addition to growing companies, Kallio believes that the industry is special due to its social side.

“I’m a pretty social person, which is one of the reasons I work as a Managing Partner and also took on the role of Chairperson of the Board. I enjoy this job because I get to work with not only the Intera team but also other great people like entrepreneurs and key personnel of companies every day. Now, also cooperation with the association’s board members will be even closer. It’s a privilege to be able to serve as Chairperson for such a talented group,” he describes.

Great Starting Point for the New Role

Kallio has acted as a member of the association’s board of directors since 2020 and believes he has good prerequisites for the position because he is already familiar with FVCA’s operations. The new Chairperson has also been following how the industry and the association have evolved over the years.

“The private equity and venture capital industry has evolved, and its importance regarding economic growth has increased significantly in recent years. At the same time, the association has grown, and its operations have become more professional. A big thank you for this goes to Pia Santavirta, who has developed the association, the entire team of the association, as well as previous Chairpersons,” Kallio praises.

In his new role, Kallio wants to ensure that the conditions and operating environment for growth and fundraising are favourable so that PE investors can continue to do what they do best: build sustainable growth.