Finland consistently leads the world when it comes to freedom of the press and freedom of speech, which admittedly can seem ironic considering that Finns are among the least talkative people on earth. It's because Finns believe in quality, not quantity. But, rest assured, our nation’s long road to independence has taught us the value of everyone’s right to express themselves freely. In Helsinki, we are proud to be the capital city of a country with free and fair elections, robust multiparty competition, and strong protections for freedoms of speech, religion, and association.
It wasn’t an easy decision for Vincent to relocate to Helsinki but luckily he was blown away by the people he met through his future employer Wolt. One of the things that struck Vincent, and convinced him to join what was then a small Finnish startup, was the strength of Wolt's engineering and product teams. He quickly became excited about the opportunity to work for one of the best technology companies in Europe, and certainly the best in its field. As he says, he’s now come to realise that Finland has an incredible tech scene and does an awesome job at producing world-class engineers.
Vincent
"I'm a French engineer, but I have studied and worked in Germany, the UK, and the US. I also spent almost four years in Montreal, a city I love deeply, where I was planning to settle. Then one day almost two years ago I met Miki Kuusi, Wolt's co-founder, who convinced me to move to Helsinki to lead the company's product management team. It was a difficult decision for me to relocate, as I was extremely happy in Montreal, and I had quite a few preconceived ideas about Helsinki."
Speaking from the heart in Helsinki
"I'm really glad that I moved here, as I've enjoyed every moment of my Finnish journey. Helsinki is way more diverse than I had imagined, and the city is one of the most liveable places I've had the chance to live in. Nature is all around us: the air and water are pure, work life balance is a priority for most people, and there are plenty of architectural and design gems throughout the city.
Most - if not all - of the people I have met in Helsinki are absolutely genuine. I can share my opinions openly and directly with people around me and engage in difficult but productive debate. It's refreshing in many ways. It makes interpersonal relations much easier and healthier, especially at work, as we say things as they are, instead of dancing around issues, or paying too much attention to politics or hierarchy. And the most heated debates are always a great opportunity to grab a beer or continue the conversation in the sauna, which is pretty much a regular occurence in Helsinki."
