HELSINKI, 25-27 JUNE 2026

The 2026 Northern Light Summit, held in Helsinki under the theme End of Trust - Business in the Age of Power Politics. Once again, it brought together CEOs, Chairs and global experts to discuss a world where the foundations of international order, economic cooperation and trust are being tested more than at any time since the Cold War. 

HELSINKI, 26-28 JUNE 2025

This year’s EBLC Northern Light Summit, held under the theme Europe, Trump and the New World Order, tackled the reshaping of global politics at a time of deepening uncertainty and geopolitical tension. Over two and a half days, the discussions examined how Europe is adapting to a changing world, marked by the return of great power rivalry, the rise of AI, and the second iteration of President Donald J. Trump. The question at the center of the summit was not whether the world order is changing, but what kind of order, if any, will replace the old one.

HELSINKI, 27 - 29 JUNE 2024

The theme of the 2024 EBLC Northern Light Summit was Bridge Over Troubled Water. However, most of the time was spent analysing troubled waters than building new bridges. During the two and a half days, key discussion themes included e.g., the interconnection of geopolitics and technology, Europe’s competitiveness, the upcoming US elections, the future of China and India and European security.

HELSINKI, 29 JUNE - 1 JULY 2023

The 2023 EBLC Northern Light Summit was held under the title “How to Navigate the Perfect Storm”,  reflecting  on challenges and opportunities in a world of increasing uncertainty. Central themes discussed in the sessions were power relations, US-China relations, green transition, nuclear energy, artificial Intelligence (AI), European security, and Russia’s future after Putin.

HELSINKI, 30 JUNE – 2 JULY 2022

The EBLC 20th Anniversary Northern Light Summit took place in Helsinki at a historic time. There is a war in Europe. Finland and Sweden had just been admitted as candidate members to NATO. The Northern Light Summit gathered participants to discuss geopolitics and the direction of current developments of international affairs.

ONLINE, 1-2 JULY 2021

For the second time, the conference took place online. Speakers included HRH the Prince of Wales, Larry Summers (Harvard), Martin Wolf (FT), Ola Källenius (Daimler), Nicolai Tangen (Norges Bank Investment Management), Beatrice Weder di Mauro (CEPR), George Schindler (CGI), Xenia Wickett (Equinor), Pekka Lundmark (Nokia), Kishore Mahbubani (Asia Research Institute), Gen. John R. Allen (Brookings Institution), Syrie Crouch (Shell), and Jean Lemierre (BNP Paribas).

ONLINE, 25-26 JUNE 2020

For the first time, the conference took place online. Participants such as Christine Lagarde (European Central Bank), Jim Mattis (Former US Defence Secretary), Eric Li (Chengwei Capital), Gideon Rachman (Financial Times), Martin Wolf (Financial Times), Martin Brudermüller (BASF), Henrik Ehrnrooth (KONE), Sigve Brekke (Telenor), Paul Polman (ICC), Annica Bresky (Stora Enso), discussed the Corona crisis and the recovery.

HELSINKI, 27-29 JUNE 2019

Participants such as Sir Nick Clegg (Facebook), David Wallerstein (Tencent), Bernard Cazeneuve (Former Prime Minister of France) and Herman Gref (Sberbank) met together with other business leaders and the next generation of leaders to discuss how to prepare for the risks ahead and how businesses must redefine their role to strive in these difficult conditions.

HELSINKI, 28-20 JUNE 2018

This year we introduced our next generation leaders or “Northern Stars”: young, passionate and highly accomplished people in business, academia and NGOs.

Participants such as Paul Polman (Unilever) Eric Schmidt (Alphabet) President Kersti Kaljulaid (Estonia) and Viktor Vekselberg (Skolkovo Foundation) met together with other business leaders and the next generation of leaders such as Claudia Olsson (Exponential), Jussi Herlin (KONE) and Jeremy Hindle (Headstart AI) to discuss the current state of technology and politics.

HELSINKI, 29 JUNE-1 JULY 2017

On the agenda, were the Future of Europe, Trans-Atlantic relations, China-EU-US–triangle, Russia’s relations with the West, artificial intelligence and technological revolution. To discuss these topics, were participants like Joe Kaeser, President & CEO of Siemens, Johannes Teyssen, Chairman & CEO of E.ON, Rajeev Suri, CEO of Nokia, Henrik Ehrnrooth CEO of KONE, Alexey Mordashov, Chairman of Severstal, Anatoly Chubais, CEO of RUSNANO, Robert K. Steel, CEO of Perella Weinberg Partners, Trina Gordon, CEO of Boyden, Carl Bildt, Co-Chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations, Mervyn King, the Former Governor of the Bank of England and Caroline Spelman, Member of the UK Parliament.

HELSINKI, 30 JUNE-2 JULY 2016

Speakers such as Edward Luce and Martin Wolf discussed the upcoming U.S. presidential elections, and “the saddest of hours”: Brexit. Robin Niblett, the Director of Chatham House discussed the new realities facing the world after this great great political disruption. Business leaders such as Henrik Ehrnrooth, CEO of KONE and Kevin McCann AM, Chairman of Citadel Group compared notes on their responses to Brexit.

HELSINKI, 2-4 JULY 2015

The Summit's title was indeed apt in describing the several acute crises besetting Europe and the world at large. The scary elements include a Russian-Ukrainian conflict that in its wider potential ramifications poses a threat to the entire post-Cold-War international order; a Greek debt crisis that threatens to derail not only that country's economic and social fabric but also, potentially, European and world economic stability; and growing turmoil in the Middle East, made worse by a gruesome campaign of unparalleled violence and cruelty waged by the jihadist so-called 'Islamic State', contributing to a process of state disintegration in the region.

HELSINKI, 4-6 JULY 2013

One of the highlights was undoubtedly our “Hot Seat Session” with Commissioner Olli Rehn on the future of the Euro. Two years ago Mr Rehn was interrogated by Gideon Rachman from the Financial Times. This time he faced two formidable challengers: Professor Hans-Werner Sinn, a well-known German critic of the crisis management policies adopted by the EU, and Mr. Bill Emmott, former Editor of the Economist, who is used to taking European political leaders to task.

HELSINKI, JUNE 30 - JULY 2 2011

HELSINKI, , 2-4 JULY 2009

ST. PETERSBURG, 7 JULY 2006

HELSINKI, , 7-9 JULY 2005