Hjallis Harkimo

Harry Juhani "Hjallis" Harkimo (born November 2, 1953 in Helsinki) is a Finnish businessman, sportsperson, YouTuber[2] and a member of the Finnish Parliament. Previously a National Coalition Party MP, he now chairs his own political party, Movement Now.

Harry Harkimo
Harkimo in 2011
Member of the Finnish Parliament for Uusimaa
Incumbent
Assumed office April 22, 2015
Parliamentary group	Movement Now (2018–) National Coalition Party (2015–2018)
Chairman of Movement Now
Incumbent
Assumed office April 21, 2018
Deputy	Karoliina Kähönen
Preceded by	Office established
Personal details
Born	November 2, 1953 Helsinki, Uusimaa Province, Finland
Nationality	Finnish
Political party	Movement Now (2018–) National Coalition Party (2015–2018)
Alma mater	Hanken School of Economics
Occupation	Entrepreneur
Military service
Allegiance	Finland
Branch/service	Finnish Army
Rank	Second Lieutenant[1]
YouTube information
Channel	Hjallis
Years active	2017–present
Genre	Society, politics, business, entertainment, sports
Subscribers	79,900 (as of July 22, 2020)
Total views	13,030,864 (as of July 22, 2020)

First elected to the Parliament in 2015 representing NCP, his tenure in the party was cut short following his complaints about leadership in 2018.[3] He then proceeded to establish and register his new political movement simply as an association due to strong disdain toward traditional party politics.[4] Following his successful re-election campaign in 2019, Harkimo decided to register Movement Now as a party afterall, explaining that "the whole system was built so that thriving in it won't be possible without having a party."[5]

In the Parliament, Harkimo sits in opposition, although he voted in favor of swearing in the Rinne Cabinet. He later explained this by saying he wanted to give the government platform a chance, since he considered many of its goals positive.[6] Since then, Harkimo and Movement Now have been more critical of the government, even by joining in on some joint opposition interpellations.

Sailing

In the 1981–82 season Harkimo was a crewmember on the yacht Skopbank of Finland in the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race.[7]

From 1986 to 1987 he participated in a round-the-world single-handed yacht race, BOC Challenge, and finished third.[8][9]

In the 1989–90 season he was a crewmember on the yacht Belmont Finland in the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race.[10]

Political career

Harkimo was elected to the Eduskunta in 2015 with 11,416 votes in the election.[11] Although he was elected representing the National Coalition Party, in 2018 he left the party and founded a new political movement, Movement Now. In the 2019 parliamentary election, Harkimo was elected to the parliament as the sole representative from Movement Now.[12]

Harkimo told in late August 2020 that he is running for Mayor of Helsinki in 2021 Finnish municipal elections[13]

Business

Harkimo is the chairman of the board of the Helsinki-based ice-hockey team Jokerit.[14] He is also the developer of the team's home arena, Hartwall Areena, and an investor in sports.

Harkimo hosted the Finnish version of The Apprentice from 2009 until 2013.[15] and made a one-season return in 2018.

In October 2017, Harkimo started to publish YouTube videos, discussing politics, business, sports and other subjects.

In 2019 Harkimo bought the 49% share of Jokerit from Russians Gennady Timchenko and Roman Rotenberg, the owners of Arena Events Oy. Harkimo then sold 100% of Jokerit to Jari Kurri, a long time manager of the club. Harkimo's intent was to exclude the club from the US sanction list drawn upon the annexation of Crimea.[16][17]

Personal life

Harkimo married his first wife, MP Leena Harkimo in 1989. The pair filed for divorce in 2002. He later married MP Merikukka Forsius-Harkimo in 2004, but they divorced after only a year of marriage. Harkimo has two sons from his first marriage and a third from his second marriage. His YouTube channel contains numerous videos with his sons, whom he maintains close relationships with.[18]

Harkimo has been a vegetarian since the beginning of 2018.[19]

References

1. "Harry Harkimo". Eduskunta. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
2. "Hjallis" – via YouTube.
3. "Hjallis Harkimo eroaa kokoomuksesta – arvostelee kovin sanoin puoluetta". Ilta-Sanomat. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
4. "Perinteiset puolueet saivat ryöpytyksen, Harkimon liikkeen oma suunta jää nähtäväksi". Savon Sanomat. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
5. "Liike Nytistä tulee puolue – tarvittavat kannattajakortit on nyt kerätty". Yle. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
6. "Hjallis Harkimo tuki hallitusta ja haukkui sen sitten – Sari Essayahilta välitön piikki". Uusi Suomi. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
7. "Archive Volvo Ocean Race". Retrieved March 16, 2019.
8. Roll of Honour (1986), from the official web site Archived March 12, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
9. The BOC Challenge 1986–1987 Results, from solocircumnavigation.com
10. "Archive Volvo Ocean Race". Retrieved March 16, 2019.
11. "Valitut ehdokkaat Uudenmaan vaalipiiri". Ministry of Justice. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
12. "Pienryhmistä ei eduskuntaan mennä, poikkeuksena vain Hjallis Harkimo". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). April 15, 2019. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
13. "Hjallis Harkimo haluaa Helsingin pormestariksi – "Helsinkiä ei nyt johda kukaan"". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). August 31, 2020. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
14. "Jokerit information in English". Jokerit. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
15. Helsingin Sanomat: Harkimo etsii Diilin avulla vetäjää nyt Hanko-projektilleen (in Finnish).
16. Jari Kurri osti Jokerit kokonaan Helsingin Sanomat May 25, 2019 A22 ja Helsingin Sanomat Kukkausiliite September 1, 2018
17. Jokereiden jättitappiot on kuitattu miljoonien eurojen pääomalainoilla, neljässä kaudessa venäläislainaa 44 miljoonaa euroa – katso tästä yhtiön hurjat taloustiedot vuosi vuodelta Jokerit teki neljänä KHL-kautenaan yli 56 miljoonaa euroa tappiota. Venäläistaustaiset omistajat ovat useimmiten kuitanneet tappioita pääomalainoilla. YLE May 24, 2019
18. "Hjallis" – via YouTube.
19. Hjallis Harkimo ryhtyi kasvissyöjäksi ja laihtui – "Tuntuu tosi hyvältä"

External links

• Hjallis Harkimo on Twitter
• Hjallis Harkimo at World Sailing