70 years old | Jussi Pajunen led Helsinki for 12 years in a style that politicians across party lines liked

Motionlesscalm, gray, shy, quiet.

You might imagine that people are describing their beloved pet, but this time it’s about the former mayor of Helsinki Jussi from Pajus.

Politicians across party lines only have positive memories of Pajus, which can be considered a kind of achievement. Still, the characterizations are not naive or absent-minded, as everyone managed to register determined leadership during his 12-year tenure.

Pajunen’s management style was based on persistent arguments and cooperative negotiations. Compromises have been necessary because political power in Helsinki has been divided between 3-4 large council groups from one election to the next.

In negotiations, therefore, a political majority is always sought. The mandate comes from the people, and decision-makers must be able to reconcile a wide range of goals. The task is demanding.

“Universities have studied the management of companies operating in a market economy for centuries, but those lessons cannot be applied to the Nordic welfare society, which is led by democratically elected representatives. The problems and methods of operation are different.”

For love to the sport, i.e. social management, has made Pajunen continue his work in the non-profit Boardman expertise network as a partner. His special role is to share information about the management and ownership control of public administration entities.

“It’s a hobby,” he smiles.

Regarding this smile, it is worth mentioning that even a few politicians have praised Pajunen’s dry sense of humor and even occasional weakness.

Others too there are hobbies. Long-term politicians interviewed by HS describe Jussi Pajunen’s mathematical talent and statistical geekiness. This manifests itself in at least two ways.

Pajunen has been keeping a running diary since 1984. The goal was to run a distance equal to the circumference of the earth before the 60th anniversary.

“For the equinox, the distance is 40,075 kilometers,” Pajunen clarifies.

When this was done at the age of 56, he started a new round, which should be finished before his 80th birthday. It’s possible if he stays at his current pace, i.e. 3–4 ten-kilometer runs a week.

Another lesser-known mathematical hobby of Pajunen is related to probability calculation. From one election to another, he has prepared forecasts that, according to his colleagues, have been meritorious.

Now Pajunen is toying with the idea that system dynamics modeling could be built to support new candidates for municipal elections. Dynamic modeling would provide real-time and reliable information on how the campaign is succeeding and what should be done when there is little money available. Maybe artificial intelligence will help with this, or not.

“I don’t have a solution, but it’s an interesting problem.”

Willow tree the road to Helsinki’s last city manager who served in office has not been straight.

Grandfather Edvard Pajunen founded by Jussi and his four siblings since their school years. All holidays and weekends were spent working in the family business. Jussi Pajunen earned his first salary when he was 10 years old.

The colonial goods store founded by grandfather was changed by Jussi’s father Aarno Pajunen during the 1970s into the Alepa chain, whose business was sold to SOK in the following decade.

What remained was the real estate company that owned the shopping center in Malmi. It was also sold in 2006.

Pajunen entered politics in the early 1990s, first as a deputy representative of the Liberals, but then in the 1997 municipal elections from the ranks of the coalition. In the council group, the way to group leader, chairman of the city board and Eva-Riitta Siitonen then mayor.

Here At this point in his life path, Pajuse no longer has any recollections of significant events during his leadership period. He also doesn’t comment on the current situation or wants to be photographed at the town hall.

Pajunen returned to work at the family business in 2017, when Helsinki switched to a mayor system.

In the first decades of the 21st century, Helsinki experienced a period of great growth.

Almost 70,000 people moved to the city during Pajunen’s directorship, which is equivalent to moving a city the size of Hämeenlinna to another location.

The opening of Vuosaari harbor in 2008 had freed up huge harbor areas in Jätkäsaari, Kalasatama and also in Kruunuvuori for the construction of new residential areas.

Willow tree also counts Östersundom’s transfer from Sipoo to Helsinki as a profitable decision, even though a couple of general plans have failed in the appeals process. The forced merger between the state and Helsinki caused bad blood in circles wider than Sipoo.

The forced union, sealed at the beginning of 2009, was preceded by the frustration of the people of Helsinki that the city’s growth direction could not be extended eastward in any way.

“The annexation of Östersundom opened up blocked situations. The construction of Keski-Pasila would not have been possible without the agreement with the state. Of course there are problems with zoning, but zoning is long-term work.”

What would you tell your 20-year-old self?

“Get in the flow of life.”

• Born in Helsinki in 1954.

• Mayor of Helsinki 2005–2017. The title of Lord Mayor in 2006.

• Master’s degree in business sciences from the Helsinki School of Economics and MBA from Insead School of Economics in France.

• Elected as a full member of the city council in 1997 in the ranks of the coalition. 2003–2005 chairman of the city board.

• The family includes his wife Jaana Pajunen and five adult children. There are six grandchildren.

• Turns 70 on September 5.