Castrén & Snellman partner Pia Ek was elected as the chair of the Finnish Center for Integrity in Sports (FINCIS) on 9 December 2019.
10.12.2019
Pia Ek Elected Chair of Finnish Center for Integrity in Sports
‘I would like to warmly thank the members of FINCIS for their trust. It is an honour help guide ethical sports into the 2020s. Thanks to well-organised operations, anti-doping supervision has operated at a high level of quality in Finland for a long time. Ethical concerns are increasingly becoming a focus of interest. It is important that we have an organisation like FINCIS to promote equal rights in ethically sustainable sports. The excellent work of my predecessor, Timo Laitinen, during his term is a great foundation to build on’, Pia said.
Pia has worked in sports law and technology as an attorney for nearly two decades. She has worked extensively with domestic and international sports federations, top-level sports clubs, broadcasting media companies and sponsors. Pia is also a long-standing member and the vice chairman of the Finnish Sports Arbitration Board. She was also a member of the board of the FINCIS’s predecessor, the Finnish Anti-Doping Agency FINADA. Pia’s term as FINCIS’s chair begins at the start of 2020.
The task of FINCIS (Finnish Center for Integrity in Sports) is to reinforce an ethically sustainable sports culture in co-operation with other parties. FINCIS is responsible for implementing international treaties on anti-doping activities, manipulation of sports competitions and spectator comfort and safety. FINCIS’s members include the Finnish Olympic Committee, the Finnish Paralympic Committee, the Finnish Society of Sports Medicine, and the Finnish Government, represented by the Ministry of Education and Culture.
Latest news
Latest references
OP Corporate Bank – Real estate financing arrangement
We advised OP Corporate Bank plc in a real estate financing arrangement relating to DHL Express logistics centre under construction near Helsinki Airport. In the arrangement Nrep (acting on behalf of NSF III Fund) and Pontos Group acquired Finavia’s stake of DHL Express logistics centre under construction. LEED Platinum certification will be applied for the project, and as a result of the certification, the facility is contemplated to qualify as a green loan after the construction completion date.
Case published 12.3.2025
Gasum – Chartering a new bunker vessel
We advised Gasum in chartering a new LNG and bio-LNG bunker vessel. The vessel called Celsius will serve Gasum’s customers starting 2027. The investment is part of Gasum’s strategy to secure the availability of LNG and bio-LNG to its customers in the Northwestern European area as demand increases in the coming years. Gasum is a Nordic gas sector and energy market expert. Gasum offers cleaner energy and energy market expert services for industry and for combined heat and power production as well as cleaner fuel solutions for road and maritime transport. The company helps its customers to reduce their own carbon footprint as well as that of their customers. Sirius is a Swedish shipping company founded by the Backman family. Sirius operates 11 product/chemical tankers and 2 LNG tankers and has a further 3 product/chemical tankers under commercial management.
Case published 11.3.2025
eBrands – Funding round
We assisted eBrands Holdings Oy in its latest funding round, during which the company raised 7.5 million euros. The new funding brings the company’s total raised capital to 50 million euros. The latest funding round was mainly led by the family investment company Veikko Laine, Varma Pension Fund, and operational shareholders. The funding will be used to develop eBrands’ AI-based Apollo market growth tool, which helps brands expand into sixty different markets and sales channels without local infrastructure or heavy investments. eBrands is an export platform that grows consumer brands globally through e-commerce and major retail channels. Specializing in the US and European markets, eBrands enables brands to internationalize with an export service model that reduces the risk and complexity associated with expansion by leveraging advanced technology. Founded in 2020, the Helsinki-based company’s team includes 75 people, and the company’s revenue exceeds 35 million euros.
Case published 11.3.2025
Nrep – EUR 100 million construction project in Herttoniemi, Helsinki
We advised the real estate investor and developer Nrep in a EUR 100 million construction project in Helsinki, which combines build-to-rent housing and care homes within the one scheme. A fund managed by Nrep (NSF V) purchased the plot of land in Herttoniemi, Helsinki and subsequently secured planning consent to deliver a hybrid living scheme. The modern complex will offer high-quality housing and care facilities for the elderly alongside rental accommodation. We advised Nrep in both the purchase of the plot and the contracting of the care and housing complex. A total of 425 apartments and 108 care homes will be delivered across four buildings on the site. Construction is scheduled to begin in autumn 2025, with delivery targeted in 2028. The project will be implemented in accordance with Nrep’s principles of sustainable construction. The buildings will be equipped with solar panels, geothermal heat will be used throughout, and low-emission green concrete and steel will be used as materials.
Case published 6.3.2025