IWF Women's Day 2026

Indian Women in Finland Ry is proud to announce their 2026 Women's Day event this year.

Date: 9th March
Time: 17.30 to 20.30
Venue: Kulttuuriaukio 2, Tapiola, Espoo

 

We’re excited to announce our agenda and introduce our prestigious guests.

Elina Koivumäki

We are proud to unveil our keynote speaker for our upcoming Women’s Day celebration- Elina Koivumäki, Immediate Past President of Finnish Business Angels Network FiBAN, founder of Lexperience Ltd., non-fiction author, professional speaker.

Elina Koivumäki is a distinguished business lawyer, active angel investor, and the Immediate Past President of the Finnish Business Angels Network (FiBAN). After a successful 14-year tenure as a partner in one of Finland's largest law firms, she made a bold pivot in 2016 to found her own company, Lexperience Ltd. Today, alongside her legal expertise in data protection, marketing and AI, she holds a diverse investment portfolio of nine domestic startups in addition to stock markets and US real estate market. Elina is an experienced board member, an award-winning author, and a trusted facilitator for C-level executive programs. Deeply aligned with the "Give to Gain" theme, her company’s trademark is "It’s all about people." A passionate advocate for female leadership and human synergy, she inspires audiences to combine mentorship, "smart money," and exceptional communication to build networks that drive collective success. On a personal note, Elina is a proud Espoo native, current resident, and mother of two boys.

At our event, the distinguished business lawyer and angel investor Elina Koivumäki shares her personal journey from a corporate law firm partnership to founding her own company. Along the way, she expanded her career into growth investing, authored non-fiction books, and became a professional speaker and facilitator.
Through her story, Elina reveals the profound lessons she’s learned about the power of community. She will explore how the 'Give to Gain' mindset and true human synergy create an impact far greater than the sum of its parts. Prepare to be inspired by her core philosophy and registered trademark: 'It's all about people®.'

Niraj Sood

We are delighted to introduce our keynote speaker for our upcoming Women’s Day event - Niraj Sood – President, CGI Finland, Poland and Baltics operations.

Niraj leads more than 4,300 professionals across five countries, delivering consulting, systems integration, managed services and IP solutions to clients in both private and public sectors.
Niraj has consistently driven digital transformation and operational excellence, strengthening client partnerships and accelerating innovation. With nearly two decades of leadership experience, he combines deep expertise in manufacturing, smart operations, IT modernization and strategic growth with international experience spanning Finland, India, the UK and Germany. Niraj is passionate about digitalization and its potential to enhance services for citizens and consumers. He is committed to positioning his organization as a leading employer in the region, attracting new talent to the IT industry, and fostering professional growth within his teams.

Sofiya Utge

Give to Gain - Hear her inspiration story - Sofiya Utge

Sofiya Utge is a Product Manager at KONE, where her vision is to enable employees at KONE to elevate their day-to-day productivity at work through AI-powered and low-code solutions that make everyday work simpler and smarter. With her extensive experience across automation, digital development and user-centric design, she helps teams to adopt practical AI tools with confidence.
Outside her day-to-day role, Sofiya is passionate about supporting women’s career in tech. She has served on the board of Women in AI Finland and has led mentorship programmes for Women in AI, Indian Women in Finland and actively contributed in KONE IT ladies Community.
She enjoys helping people grow, building inclusive communities and inspiring more women to thrive in the AI and digital space.

Gayathri Menon

Give to Gain - Hear her inspiration story - Gayathri Menon

Gayathri Menon is a distinguished Indian classical dancer, choreographer, and teacher based in Finland. She is the founder and Artistic Director of Fusia Performing Arts and has been teaching and performing for over 15 years in Finland.

Gayathri has performed extensively across India and Finland and has received several prestigious recognitions, including the Akavoor Narayanan Memorial Award for Kathakali and the Young Talented Artist Award from the Government of India. Through her artistic practice and teaching, she is deeply committed to preserving and sharing the richness of Indian classical dance, while making it accessible and meaningful to diverse audiences.

Prerna Bhushan

Give to Gain - Hear her inspiration story - Prerna Bhushan

Prerna is a Westin Award Recipient, for excellence in Data Privacy. She currently works as Lead Data Privacy Specialist at the largest Nordic bank, where she is dedicated to safeguarding the personal information of millions. With robust experience in data privacy and AI governance, Prerna has created and implemented strategies that not only meet industry standards but also respect individuals’ rights in an increasingly digital world.

An alumnus of University of Helsinki, she currently serves on the Advisory Board of Women leading Data Privacy, under the International Association of Privacy Professionals. She is passionate about empowering other women in the privacy space, ensuring their contributions are recognized and valued.

She is the intersection of technology and ethics. With the rise of AI, she has taken on the challenge of ensuring that innovations in technology align with sound privacy practices. Outside of her professional life, you’ll find Prerna engaging with her network, sharing insights, and discussing the evolving landscape of data privacy. She loves connecting with others who share her passion and often mentors emerging privacy professionals.

Dr Bhawna Sharma

Give to Gain - Hear her inspiration story – Dr Bhawna Sharma
Dr. Bhawna Sharma is a holistic health practitioner with over 16 years of clinical experience. She acts a bridge in translational medicine (Blending modern and traditional medicine).


She is a founding and board member of several holistic health associations in Finland and actively contributes to the advancement of integrative wellbeing in the Nordics. In addition to her clinical leadership, she serves on the Helsinki City Council (In the boards of trust for health care & social science) She is among the first Indian women to establish a distinguished presence in holistic health sciences across the Nordic region.

Meet our Panelists


Susanna Tommila serves as Cultural Director of Espoo, Finland’s second-largest city, with over 20 years of experience in public administration across the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. She specializes in strategic development and leadership, placing strategy at the core of her work and leading complex, diverse organizations. She believes in diversity, collaboration, sustainability and strongly advocates European engagement, and international cooperation. She holds an MA and an eMBA (2019), and is an experienced network leader, speaker, mentor, and coach active in Finland and across Europe.

Krutarth Vasavada is a Cybersecurity and Compliance professional with a poet’s heart. Born in India, he studied and lived in the United States before settling in Finland, which he now proudly calls home as a citizen. Beyond his professional work, Krutarth serves on the board of a cultural nonprofit in Finland and is currently writing a book reflecting on his cross-cultural experiences.

Award-winning inclusion expert, TEDx speaker, and moderator, Kamilla Sultanova is a Nordic voice for inclusive work culture and collaboration. With a background in sales and purchasing at Scandinavian shipping, including Maersk Line, she now helps Finnish and Nordic organisations embed inclusion into strategy and access the labour market. Through partnerships, the Suomi+ podcast, Global Dignity programmes, consulting, and campaigns, she has supported tens of thousands in building belonging in Finland. Her motto is moving from being “the only one in the room” to creating spaces where diverse people are one of many.

Asha Singadia is building a global ecosystem for female founders to reshape access, influence, and opportunity in entrepreneurship. Through Foundher Table, she connects ambitious, especially under-represented, women founders with trusted networks, visibility, and decision-makers to scale, launching in London this April as its first international step. She also founded Women of Colour Table to ensure women not only enter ecosystems but truly belong, supporting integration, networks, and foundations for life and leadership worldwide.

Regina Ainla is the Manager of Talent Boost Network & Diversity at Work in Finland unit in Business Finland, with expertise in international talent attraction, diversity, and leadership development. She helps Finnish employers succeed globally by building inclusive ecosystems, boosting international competitiveness, and connecting companies, communities, and global professionals. Passionate about mentorship and multicultural collaboration, she creates pathways for thriving communities.

Our guests for the interview

Meet the Women who lead, our guests for the interview

Nora Haapala is an attorney-at-law and IP specialist working for over 15 years for the international advisory firm Rödl. She is a Board Member of the British and Commonwealth Chamber of Commerce in Finland and leads legal workshops for startups at the University of Helsinki. Nora is passionate about elevating the visibility of women in professional communities so they can grow, thrive and have their expertise be recognized.

Linda Konate, Executive Director, Fingo Finnish Development NGOs. Fingo's role is to bring civil society together and jointly work towards a just world - for everyone. Linda Konate has worked in humanitarian and development - both internationally and in Finland with international organisations such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and Finnish Red Cross. She is driven by change that people and civil society can bring.

Cecilia Naadensua Quarshie is the Founder of Ceci Educare Oy, and initiator behind the Nordic Africa Business Forum & Prestigious Global Awards, advancing strategic partnerships between the Nordics and Africa. She is a passionate advocate for women's empowerment and inclusive leadership, embodying the spirit of this year's theme, "Give to Gain."

Melissa Arni-Harden is a Senior advisor, Economic and Employment Unit at City of Espoo

Asha is building a global ecosystem for female founders to reshape who gains access, influence, and the resources they need to thrive in entrepreneurship, driven by her belief that talent is everywhere but opportunity is not.

Hitomi Tabuchi is Specialist, Member NGOs and Volunteering MONIKA – Multicultural Women’s Association, Finland.

Milla Ovaska is Head of International Affairs at the City of Espoo.

Johanna Sjöholm is the executive director and founder of Nicehearts. Nicehearts celebrates it’s 25th history, working with girls, women and families in Finland. Their mission is to enable girls and women to find their own place in society as its equal and unique members.

IWF Women’s Day 2026 Photo Collage

📢 Join our IWD 2026 Campaign! We are celebrating International Women’s Day with a special "Give to Gain" photo collage. We want YOU to be in it!
📸 Task: Strike the pose shown in the image below.
📧 Send to: indianwomeninfinland@gmail.com
🗓️ Deadline: February 28th

 

A big thank you to all our friends for being part of our International Women’s Day picture campaign and striking a pose to bring our theme, Give to Gain, to life!
Let’s keep the momentum going — together, When we Give, we Gain.

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A Legacy of Firsts. A Future of Equality.

Finland’s success story is inseparable from the courage of its women.

International Women’s Day (8 March) is not just a date here it’s a reminder that this country rewrote the rules of democracy and leadership long before the world caught up.

🏛️ Finland, Where “Firsts” Became Normal

• 1906: First country in the world to grant women full political rights—vote and stand for office.
• 1907: First Parliament with women MPs—19 women stepped into the Eduskunta and into history.
• From President Tarja Halonen to multiple women Prime Ministers, Finland has shown that gender is no barrier to the highest office.
• Today, Finland ranks among the top countries globally for gender equality, powered by women in science, education and the economy.

Yet there are some potential gaps which always needs to be addressed.
🤝 Equality Needs All of Us
This day is not “for women only”. Progress happens when men and women stand together for their daughters, partners, colleagues and friends.
Walk the Talk with IWF Ry
If you believe in community power, we invite you to stand with Indian Women in Finland Ry (IWF Ry). Our network is our strength—and when we connect, we all rise.

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Registrations Closed - Thank you !!