David J. Cord’s enthusiasm for the written word has seen him recently document the rise and fall of Muxlim.

Originally from Indianapolis, USA, it has been in Finland where David J. Cord’s life has taken some unexpected turns, as he slowly moved away from his initial career in finance to try his hand at journalism. A regular contributor to Helsinki Times since its inception, with his opinionated and popular column appearing in all but one issue, it was this change of direction that eventually led him to Mohamed El-Fatatry, the driving force behind Muxlim, the world’s first online social network site specifically for Muslims.

American composer and filmmaker Joe Davidow shares his perspective both on home and abroad.

Moving to Helsinki after meeting a Finnish woman whilst studying at the Moscow Conservatory in the late 1970s, American Joe Davidow’s work as a musician and composer soon led him down the path to filmmaking. Initially known for his documentary work that highlighted important issues occurring in his homeland America, his focus turned to creatively filming dance in the early 1990s, and he was bestowed with the prestigious Prix Italia in 1998 for The Man Who Never Was, based on the work of the national poet of Portugal, Fernando Pessoa.

Spotting Aki Choklat in the street is not that difficult: look for his shoes. He will most probably be wearing the most eclectic or, at least, the spiciest shoes in that street. Choklat is without a doubt the most well-known Finnish of shoe designers.

Supporting entrepreneurs to realise their dreams.

THERE are few people in Finland with broader experience in start-up companies than American Will Cardwell. Since 1998, he has invested in them either independently or as a venture capitalist with Eqvitec Partners and Conor Venture Partners. He has advised them from the board of directors, and also led one, Valimo Wireless, as CEO. He has helped them begin their business life from his position as head of Technopolis Ventures, Finland’s largest technology incubator. He has researched and lectured about them in the Aalto School of Economics and Aalto University of Technology.

The Bishop of Helsinki sees the Church in 2011 as a part of an ongoing evolution.

ARRIVING to the top floor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland Diocese of Helsinki building, after being warmly greeted by Bishop Irja Askola it comes as a mild surprise to discover that her office appears to have embraced a stark, Scandinavian style. Furnished with an abundance of bare wooden surfaces, a small collection of books rests on the bookshelf, with a plant, a desk and a long meeting table struggling to fill the available space. Cultural differences aside, I had anticipated perhaps a little more iconography and decoration for a person of her position.