More corporate headquarters in Helsinki could be built in some of the Finnish capital’s most prominent locations, including along the waterfront. The city wants to keep several plots available for new headquarters to prevent large companies from moving elsewhere in the metropolitan area, but plans for one of Helsinki’s few remaining recreational waterfronts have drawn opposition from residents in Jätkäsaari.
Why corporate headquarters in Helsinki are a priority
Corporate headquarters are already strongly concentrated in the Helsinki metropolitan area. According to Yle’s review of companies listed on the Helsinki stock exchange, around 70 of almost 200 listed companies have their headquarters in Helsinki. Around 30 are based in Espoo and fewer than 20 in Vantaa.
Within Helsinki, headquarters are particularly concentrated in the city centre and the western inner city, including Ruoholahti and Salmisaari.
The city now wants to strengthen that position. In May, the City Board approved its Objectives for Growth, Skills and Vitality 2026–2029, which say Helsinki should maintain a reserve of three to five headquarters-level plots in central locations considered attractive to companies.
The programme is part of a broader strategy to improve conditions for businesses, investment and employment. Helsinki wants land use to respond more quickly to companies’ growth and investment needs, even at a time when the city already has vacant office space.
Mayor (pormestari) Daniel Sazonov told Yle that large companies often want modern premises where they can bring together operations currently spread across several locations.
“We do not want companies to turn their attention, for example, to Keilaniemi in Espoo or Aviapolis in Vantaa, but for companies to remain within Helsinki’s borders.”
Sazonov said headquarters contribute to the city’s economy through employment and both direct and indirect tax revenues, which in turn help finance public services.
Helsinki is reserving waterfront sites for headquarters
Most of the current reservations for headquarters-level developments are in the western inner city, according to Yle’s mapping of the sites.
The plots are generally reserved for construction companies, which would develop office buildings before leasing them to companies or property investors. In most cases, the future corporate occupants are therefore not yet known.
One exception is Finnish game developer Supercell. The company currently has its headquarters in Jätkäsaari but is planning a new headquarters in the former Maria Hospital area in Kamppi. Helsinki says the project would allow Supercell to continue expanding its global operations from the city.
The most controversial headquarters reservation, however, is also in Jätkäsaari.
Jätkäsaari residents oppose plans for Saukonpaadenranta
The dispute concerns Saukonpaadenranta, next to the Crusell Bridge (Crusellinsilta), in a densely built residential district west of the city centre. The waterfront is currently used by residents for walking, recreation and access to the sea.
In June 2024, Helsinki reserved two plots at Saukonpaadenranta for developer SRV to plan and develop two headquarters-level office buildings.
The proposed buildings would each have around 6,000 square metres of floor area, rise five or six storeys and accommodate a combined 700 to 1,000 employees. The companies that would eventually occupy them have not yet been identified.
The scale of the proposal would require a major change to the existing detailed plan. The two plots currently have building rights of 550 square metres each, meaning the planned office buildings would be more than ten times larger than what the current zoning allows.
The reservation granted to SRV remains valid until 31 December 2026, while the development itself depends on approval of the necessary planning changes.
Residents have strongly opposed the project. The local Jätkäsaari Society (Jätkäsaari-seura) has said it supports bringing new headquarters to sites that have not yet been developed, but opposes building them on waterfront areas already used for recreation. An earlier Yle report on the opposition said a petition against the plans had gathered more than 2,500 signatures by October 2025.
Helsinki resident Veronica Julin told Yle that access to the sea is particularly important in a densely built urban neighbourhood.
“The sea actually provides the only connection to nature in an urban city.”
Julin said she would rather see the waterfront used for amenities such as cafés, playgrounds, benches and swimming areas. She also argued that the city should consider values beyond the economic benefits of new development.
Helsinki also wants headquarters outside the western districts
The concentration of headquarters projects in western Helsinki is not intended to be exclusive. Sazonov said the city is also looking for potential locations in the eastern inner city if companies show interest.
Kalasatama already hosts Kesko’s headquarters, while several financial companies are based around Teollisuuskatu. Sazonov also pointed to Stora Enso’s new headquarters in Katajanokka, which includes a hotel and restaurant, as an example of a headquarters project integrated into a prominent urban location.
According to the mayor, good locations and public transport connections are important when companies decide where to base their main offices.
For Helsinki, the immediate competition is also close to home. Espoo’s Keilaniemi is one of Finland’s most established corporate districts, while Vantaa’s Aviapolis has developed around Helsinki Airport. Keeping suitable plots available is intended to give Helsinki more options when large companies consider moving or consolidating their operations.
The waterfront dispute is not over
The debate in Jätkäsaari illustrates the tension within Helsinki’s headquarters strategy. The locations considered most attractive to major companies can also be valuable public spaces for the people who already live around them.
The planning amendment needed for the office buildings beside the Crusell Bridge has already been postponed several times. According to Yle, it is currently expected to move forward in Helsinki’s decision-making process in spring 2027.
The eventual decision will determine whether one of the city’s waterfront recreational areas becomes part of Helsinki’s effort to secure more corporate headquarters, or remains primarily a public space for the surrounding neighbourhood.
