Team

Mr Manninen has over 30 years experience doing different businesses in Soviet Union and in FSU countries: in Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Belorussia. His expertise in those countries includes privatization deals, foundation of private equity funds, industrial and R&D cooperation, as well as technology transfer. Currently Mr Manninen is working as an independent consultant specializing in business development in FSU countries.

After completing his Master of Science and PhD University studies in theoretical physics in USSR in 1970s, Mr Manninen worked in Wartsila Arctic Research Centre as a physicist, in Wartsila Marine Technologies Shipyard as a Marketing Manager responsible for USSR market, at Tampere University of Technology as an Associate Professor in physics, in Finnish national Fund for Research and Development Sitra as a Manager responsible for industrial cooperation between Finnish and Soviet industrial enterprises.

Together with his colleagues in Sitra, Mr Manninen established Sitra owned company Sitrans Ltd specializing in technology transfer, privatization projects and establishing venture capital funds in former Soviet countries. He also participated in the incorporation of the Russian Technology Fund RTF in St. Petersburg and the incorporation of EBRD’s North West Russia Venture Capital fund and its management company Norum Ltd. After these duties, Mr Manninen worked at the Science and Technology Centre STCU in Ukraine as the European Deputy Director. STCU is an intergovernmental international non-proliferation diplomatic organization founded by United States, Canada, European Union and Ukraine.