12.11.2021

Career Stories: Minna Korhonen

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Partner Minna Korhonen handles demanding financing assignments, real estate transactions, and insolvency and corporate law assignments

Minna joined Castrén & Snellman in 2018. Before joining the firm, she had worked as counsel at another large law firm, as an associate at a smaller firm and as a lawyer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Minna is extremely happy in her current position.

‘My experience has been that we have low team boundaries, which makes us a genuine full-service firm. We have been successful in highly demanding projects that require a wide range of expertise. Clients know that we will handle their assignments comprehensively, which is a real benefit. Work days can sometimes be long, but the work itself is interesting and my colleagues are great, which balances things out. Our warm work community, meaningful work and the clients I get to work with are what drive me forward.’

A Transaction Lawyer Through and Through

When she was little, Minna dreamed of being a paediatrician, but does not regret going into business law instead.

What interests Minna in finance is how challenging and complex the assignments are and how different each work day is.

‘Our client might be either a bank or other financial institution providing financing or a company taking out a loan. The work is more than just reviewing financing documentation, it also requires understanding the projects or transactions that are being financed, which can come in all shapes and sizes. We might be working on a real estate development project one day and working to secure financing for a transaction the next. Finance touches on many fields of law, and we often work with our firm’s other teams on assignments. We do a lot of work with our Real Estate Investments & Transactions, Environment, Infrastructure & Natural Resources and Mergers & Acquisitions teams in particular.’

Sustainability Leading the Way Forward

Green financing is a trending topic in the field at the moment along with sustainability issues in general.

Minna notes that financing is a good way to promote sustainable development and combat climate change: every project needs financing, be it an acquisition or a development project.

The pace of change relating to sustainability has been rapid and has an impact on practical client work.

‘Sustainability goals are guiding the operations of an increasing number of companies. Our firm is a forerunner in sustainability matters, which is a huge benefit for our clients. Sustainability in commerce and industry means building good business for the future, and that is something we want to support.’

Latest references

We advised NoHo Partners Plc on the issuance of EUR 50 million senior secured floating rate notes. The notes have a tenor of four years and mature on 10 September 2030. The notes bear interest at a rate of three-month EURIBOR plus a margin of 4.375 per cent. per annum. The notes were allocated to a mix of domestic and international investors. We also advised NoHo Partners on the negotiation of its new senior facilities agreement. The facilities agreement comprises a EUR 60,000,000 term loan facility, a EUR 10,000,000 capex facility and a EUR 27,000,000 revolving credit facility. “We are delighted by the interest investors have shown in the company’s Notes, which reflects confidence in our strategy. The successful issuance of the Notes, together with the new loan agreement, extends the maturity profile of our financing and enables the company to continue executing its growth strategy going forward. I would like to thank all investors for their participation, as well as our partner bank for the excellent execution of the Notes issuance”, says Jarno Suominen, CEO of NoHo Partners. OP Corporate Bank plc acted as the sole lead manager and bookrunner for the issue of the notes. NoHo Partners Plc is a Finnish group established in 1996, and it specialises in restaurant services being the creative innovator of the Northern European restaurant market. The company was listed in Nasdaq Helsinki in 2013 becoming the first Finnish listed restaurant company, and it has continued to grow strongly throughout its history. NoHo Partners’ vision is to be the leading restaurant operator in Northern Europe.
Case published 4.9.2026
We advised Topfoods Oy, a Triton-backed Geia Group company, on its acquisition of Oy Delice Plus Ab, a Finnish supplier of cakes and pastries. Through the acquisition, Topfoods strengthens its retail business and further reinforces its position in the cakes and pastries segment. Founded in 2008, Topfoods supplies selected food products to professional kitchens, the retail sector, and the food industry. 
Case published 4.9.2026
We advised Deka Immobilien on its acquisition of a prime logistics property located at Turvalaaksonkuja 4, Vantaa, for the Deka-ImmobilienEuropa open-ended real estate fund. The property is situated within the Aviapolis logistics cluster, which is Finland’s leading logistics hub, benefiting from its location next to Helsinki Airport and its connections to the country’s main transport routes. Completed in 2022, the modern property comprises 32,947 sqm of lettable space and is fully let on a long-term basis to Barona Varastopalvelut Oy. The tenant is a Finnish 3PL provider offering warehousing and e-commerce logistics services to companies in Finland and internationally and uses the property as its central logistics hub. The property has achieved a BREEAM International New Construction rating of Excellent and an EPC rating of A, and it features photovoltaic and geothermal systems, among other things.
Case published 3.9.2026
We advised HANZA on the divestment of its Nivala and Sievi operations. The transaction was part of HANZA’s larger strategic reorganisation, where the company optimised its Finnish manufacturing cluster. Founded in 2008, HANZA is a Swedish mechanical engineering and electronics contract manufacturing company listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm main list. HANZA has approximately 5,000 employees and annual sales of SEK 10 billion. 
Case published 3.9.2026