Jan Vapaavuori is the former Mayor of Helsinki, senior adviser at NREP and a board member and senior adviser at Miltton Group. In Finland, he has previously served as the Minister of Housing and Urban Planning, as the Minister of Economic Affairs and as Vice-President of the European Investment Bank in Luxemburg. Vapaavuori has a keen interest in global urban affairs and he participates actively in numerous international platforms. He currently serves at the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council and Stewardship Board of Platform for Shaping the Future of Cities, Infrastructure & Urban Services, at the Bloomberg New Economy Cities Council, and as the co-chair of the Urban Economy Forum 2021.

As the first politically elected Mayor of Helsinki (2017-2021) Vapaavuori set forth an ambitious city strategy championing Helsinki as the “most functional city in the world” with a special focus on sustainable growth, digitalisation, global affairs and high-quality services for all equally. The strategy also defined Helsinki as a test-bed for start-ups and smart city developments resulting in an increased global relevance and international collaborations.