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Talent Wars: A Podcast By DCIAuthor: Development Counsellors International
Companies can't find the talent they need and cities around the world are feeling the pressure to attract and retain a skilled workforce. Talent Wars goes inside the global battle for talent and what cities, regions, states, and countries are doing to attract and retain the workforce they need. Host Patience Fairbrother sits down with experts and community leaders on the front lines of the talent challenge to bring you data-driven insights, tips, case studies, and a few cautionary tales along the way. Language: en Genres: Business, Marketing, Places & Travel, Society & Culture Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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Real, Not Perfect: Helsinki's Authentic Pitch to Talent
Episode 5
Tuesday, 7 July, 2026
Finland consistently ranks as the world's happiest country, but Helsinki's talent strategy goes beyond that narrative. Instead of promoting perfection, it focuses on authenticity to better connect with international talent. On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother Wallace speaks with Anita Lankinen, marketing manager at Helsinki Partners, about how Helsinki competes for global talent through authenticity, quality of life and focused targeting. Anita shares her personal journey from Russia to Finland and how that experience shapes her lens and strategies for attracting talent. She digs into how Helsinki Partners brings visitor, talent and investment promotion together under one roof to align messaging and share insights across teams. During this episode, the conversation explores how Helsinki translates its "Happy Helsinki" narrative into practical messaging around "life-work balance," short commutes, childcare and healthcare, while also being transparent about taxes and climate realities. Anita also breaks down the "Hire Helsinki" campaign which positioned the city as a job candidate competing for talent and delivered more than 71,000 job application clicks in three months, and shares the story behind the Pamela Anderson campaign, which generated more than 500 million impressions. Tune in to hear how Helsinki is redefining place branding through focus, data driven targeting and honesty about what life and work are really like in Finland.
