In a keynote speech to participants at the event entitled “Making sense of the global economy 2012”, Mr Carrier said: “Now, more than ever, it is important to stimulate growth through the uninhibited flow of goods and services. Protectionism and an unlevel playing field can only be detrimental to trade and open, modern societies like Finland.”

Speaking about the current global economy and presenting some key conclusions from the recent B20 and G20 Summits held in Cannes earlier this month, Mr Carrier said that ICC G20 efforts were showing solid progress as G20 leaders augment the importance afforded to the business community: “This bodes well for our ongoing effort to convey messages directly to G20 heads of state,” he said.

Hannu Syrjanen, Chair of ICC Finland, Martin Granholm, Vice-Chair of ICC Finland and Casper von Koskull, a member of the ICC Finland Executive Board and Executive Vice-President and Head of Wholesale Banking, Nordea, also spoke at the gathering.

During his two-day visit to Finland, Mr Carrier also met with Finish business leaders, policymakers and ICC members. “The current crisis can only be resolved with the contributions and involvement of the private sector,” he said.

In an interview with the leading Finnish business daily newspaper Kauppalehti, Mr Carrier said that with Doha Round negotiations “on the rocks”, it was time to find new ways of achieving results both in trade and in climate change negotiations. “ICC has an important role to play at this time when a strong business voice is needed,” he concluded.