Foreign minister honours Lenita Airisto’s drive and service to Finland

Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen has remembered her friend Lenita Airisto as a pioneering entrepreneur and advocate for Finnish businesses abroad. Airisto died on Monday at the age of 89, Yle reports.

Valtonen said she was still in shock and saddened by the news, while also feeling grateful that Airisto had lived such a long, varied and exceptional life. The two met at a public event and soon became friends, often sharing lunch and talking about politics, business and life.

Valtonen said Airisto stood out as a woman entrepreneur at a time when it was far from taken for granted that a woman could run a private business or an export company. She described Airisto as determined, candid and committed to seeking a better future.

For decades, Airisto helped Finnish companies expand internationally, build their brands and reach new markets. Valtonen said promoting a strong image of Finland abroad mattered greatly to her friend.

Valtonen recalled that Airisto did not sit back and complain when circumstances were difficult. Instead, she kept moving forward, encouraged others and believed that problems could be overcome. The pair’s last planned lunch never took place. “It feels truly empty that Lenita is gone,” Valtonen said.