Since moving back to Finland in the fall of 2022, Välimäki's impressive international experience spans most continents. She has worked in Sweden, China, Australia, South Korea, the United States, India, Switzerland, South Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, Haiti, and Sierra Leone – primarily with General Motors and the UN system, including the World Food Programme and UNICEF.
Last spring, Välimäki taught an international business management course at the University of Turku before being hired for the upcoming master’s programme focused on enhancing food export expertise at the University of Helsinki's Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry.
– It is my responsibility to create and implement, in collaboration with guest lecturers and industry representatives, a compact pilot course open to everyone, providing an up-to-date overview of international food business.
Välimäki notes that the course will be held at the University of Helsinki's Open University on November 24–26 and December 1–3, 2026, from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM.
– The course will provide an overview of the current challenges in the international food market. Additionally, it will address internationalization and marketing strategies from the perspective of food exports, logistics in the food business, supply chain management, sustainability issues, and the future of the food market.
Another of Välimäki's roles relates to the science community in Lahti. She will assist in a research project mapping the internationalization needs of local small and medium-sized enterprises in the food sector alongside research coordinator Ulla Hoppu from the University of Helsinki.
Välimäki is pleased that in Finland, one can trust the quality and purity of food, as well as the food authorities. She believes that Finland's food world is unparalleled and that Finnish food can compete on the international stage.
– We have an incredible food offering! One can easily enjoy a varied diet responsibly and locally – and enjoy excellent food at various price points.
At the same time, Välimäki emphasizes that international aspects are an unavoidable part of virtually any role, whether one works in Finland or abroad.
– If one desires to work abroad, it is essential to operate in environments that may not be beautiful, harmonious, or easy. The world today is a so-called VUCA world – a complex operating environment where change is rapid and difficult to predict.
Välimäki emphasizes that people can thrive and find satisfaction in a VUCA world, provided they develop the ability to move forward despite unexpected challenges and changing circumstances. VUCA stands for Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous, a term that has transitioned from military use to business contexts.
Despite cultural differences, the fundamental similarities among people are important. Everyone has a desire to be heard and seen.
– It helps to be open in the world, actively ask questions, and study languages and cultures. In international business, one must be curious, outward-looking, and able to build relationships. The energy one brings to a situation, or takes away from it, ultimately depends on oneself.