Eero Salmelin, Director, Huawei

What is your background in international business?

I have had a career in camera technology development since 1999, working for Nokia, Microsoft and Huawei. The research and development of cameras is very closely networked internationally, and there are always a great number of companies involved in the production chain.

Why is Tampere a great place for business, also for international business?

Tampere is a compact university city that has immense technological prowess in the wake of Nokia’s mobile phone business. Tampere region is particularly prolific in camera technology because most of Nokia’s camera development was centralised in Tampere, so two billion mobile phone cameras were designed and created here. This amount of experience exists nowhere else.

Why would you encourage on investing, or founding a company, in Tampere?

Our expertise is internationally top-notch, and the business environment is low-risk. This is particularly attractive to international companies for their product development.

What are the main things you wish to promote as a Tampere Business Ambassador?

To make Tampere region better known and to promote the growth of business in the area, Tampere needs more start-ups in addition to foreign companies’ product development units.

How would you describe Tampere as a city, what makes it unique?

Tampere is a compact city where living is easy, especially with a family to raise.