Ms. Mari Männistö, 34, has been appointed CEO of SHIFT Business Festival. Männistö has previously held various managerial positions in marketing and communications. Männistö will begin her new duties immediately, following the previous CEO Alexander Törnroth’s departure in mid-August to lead the new Artificialing Intelligence Accelerator established by Technology Industries of Finland.

SHIFT Business Festival was first held in 2016. During this time, Männistö led the Turku office of Statiivi, a family owned company, and through her Junior Chamber activities, she joined the SHIFT team as a volunteer. Over the years, Männistö has become more and more involved in SHIFT operations, starting as the full-time head of marketing and communications in late 2017.

“It has been a great honor for me to be a part of SHIFT’s journey. As the organization has grown, I have had the chance to grow with it. I have big boots to fill after Alexander, who was our leader from the very beginning, and I respect the valuable legacy he has left us,” says Männistö.

In the future, SHIFT will broaden its range of activities.

“We’re not a single yearly event anymore. We serve our ecosystem in many ways, and for instance our SHIFT Investor Network meetups are held regularly throughout the year. There are also other, new and exciting activities to come. But more on that later,” Männistö hints.

The new CEO concludes: “I am, however, happy to tell all interested parties about new cooperation possibilities upon request. As our scope of operations broadens, we cast a wide net in seeking new partners, ranging from companies to research institutions. And expect more exciting news later this year!”

In 2019, SHIFT Business Festival will be held from August 29 to 30.

For more information, please contact

Mari Männistö
mari@theshift.fi
+358 45 8684 808