Our alum Esa Juntunen: Investor of the Year 2023 advocates persistence and value-driven life

A prosperous life founded on personal values

Esa Juntunen holds a master’s degree in insurance and risk management and started investing with his summer job wages during the financial crisis in 2007. The financial crisis put his parents out of work, which made him see the importance of finance and gave rise to the idea of financial independence.

“There has been a lot of learning and growth in my investing over the years, but it has always been driven by persistence. The last five years have been successful, but before that, I practised for a decade,” Esa says.

The ultimate goal of investing for Esa is freedom. Wealth gives both financial independence and freedom with how you spend your time, as life's schedules are not dictated by earning a daily living.

One can strive for prosperity to live like a moneybags, of course. But for me, it's more about facilitating life based on my personal values.

Esa Juntunen

“One can strive for prosperity to live like a moneybags, of course. But for me, it's more about facilitating life based on my personal values.”

Investor of the Year 2023 and insurance IT strategist

Esa was awarded the title of Investor of the Year by a public vote in 2023, with an impressive 44% share of the vote. A contributing factor was his reputation as an investor; Esa has been running an investment blog since his student days, and he has also written two investment books.

“I've always liked writing. I've published two blog posts a week for a decade, so I believe that the title is recognition for my persistent work in both investing and sharing my thoughts behind it,” Esa says.

I've always liked writing. I've published two blog posts a week for a decade, so I believe that the title is recognition for my persistent work in both investing and sharing my thoughts behind it.

Esa Juntunen

For his day job, Esa has been working between IT and business in the insurance industry for a long time. Since 2019, he has been a development manager at Howden Finland Oy, Finland's largest insurance broker.

“Insurance forms an invisible safety net in the world. No goods would move in this world without insurance, as all projects are insured even before they are funded. Insurance is perhaps a bit poorly branded compared to the financial sector, but we are always at the forefront of change – currently in the green transition, for example. Labour shortage also means that employment opportunities in the sector are excellent.”

Life is not about achievement

In Esa’s view, it is no exaggeration to say that student years are the best time of your life. He speaks strongly for seeking various experiences, but without pressure, as life is not about achievement. In his own student years, Esa went for an exchange at the predominantly female Ewha Womans University in Seoul, was active in the insurance students' Tariffi ry association and worked on Demola projects that brought together students from different disciplines.

Fundamentally, Esa finds economics degrees to help you understand complex issues. He found instruction at Tampere University to be ahead of its time during his studies. It also offered exceptional flexibility, which he greatly appreciated and which allowed him to embark on his career path during studies.

Nowadays Esa gives guest lectures to insurance students once a year. In his lectures, he covers topics such as the role of robotics, artificial intelligence and automation in the insurance industry.

I've wanted to talk about topics I would have liked to learn about when I was a student. I also want to share the message that you should trust your own competence. You'll find the right place for you in the working life.

Esa Juntunen

“I've wanted to talk about topics I would have liked to learn about when I was a student. I also want to share the message that you should trust your own competence. You'll find the right place for you in the working life.”

Text: Tiina Leivo