Alumni Ambassador Oskar Vahervuori: Student activities affected significantly me becoming the person who I am today

When and what did you study at Aalto University School of Business?

I studied economic geography during the years 1985–1992, and one of my minors was international marketing. Studies on tourism interested me, and those were only offered at the School of Business. The professor who supervised my thesis, Kai-Veikko Vuoristo was one of the most distinguished specialist of the field at that time in our country.

In which positions have you worked after graduation?

The study life at the end of the 1980s, and especially the unforgettable experiences of the KY 75 jubilee year guided my ambitions towards event and experience management. I have worked, among others, at Ageba, Seikkailu Oy, at Palace Kämp Group’s event unit Red Carpet and the Institute of Marketing. Lats years I have worked as a free consultant, serving many different companies. Now I work as a Co-founder and Chairman at a startup, in which the best practices of event management are transferred into digital environments.

How do different hobbies and activities affect one’s career path?

Others feel more comfortable in finishing their studies at one sitting and only then start their career path, whereas for me, and for many other ”path seekers”, it was more suitable to try different paths step by step, and then redirect your course along the way. KY and the student activities affected significantly me becoming the person who I am today.

I also believe that the School of Business alumni activities will have its effect in this equation – this is the case for example in the traditional Anglo-Saxon countries, where many CEOs and even presidents have proceeded to their current positions with the support of their alumni networks, along with their other merits.

Thoughts on the current issues and challenges in the business world?

The fields of tourism, conference and event management have good prospects for the future. There will be even more demanding target groups, and in order to serve them, better services are needed, and this is were the higher education steps in.

Not everyone can administrate, analyze and develop bigger unities. Hopefully the economic value of these fields reflects also on the investments for higher education.

You act as an Alumni Ambassador at the School of Business. What does being an alumnus mean to you?

Earlier I felt that completing the studies at the School of Business was just another episode among the others in my life, the same as the previous education, going to the army or a certain job. Now, being actively involved in the alumni activities, my experiences have deeper meanings.

The class ’85 was full of wonderful people. The School could have chosen many others instead as the Alumni Ambassador, but I am thankful and proud of the trust they have given to me. The idea of this whole Alumni Ambassadors’ activity is that we are able to transfer at least some of those amazing memories and experiences to serve something new that is being built together.

Is there something else that you would like to say?

In the 1980s, the studies and academic life were separate from the business world, which was a disappointment for me. Now, the times have luckily changed and it is great to follow the dynamics of different Aalto University units. There are so many good things going on at the campus, and it seems to me like they have Slush every day!

Read more about the School of Business alumni cooperation and about the other Alumni Ambassadors who are involved in developing the School’s alumni activities: aalto.fi/school-of-business/school-of-business-alumni-ambassadors.