Kersti Vannas, Finland

Kersti Vannas is a leading employer branding strategist in the Baltics and Finland, having shaped more employer brands in the region than anyone else. With over 20 years of experience, she has played a central role in developing the field, combining brand strategy with deep insight into labor market expectations since 2007.

She is the founder and CEO of Instar, the leading employer branding agency in the Baltics, bringing together expertise in research, communications, recruitment, and strategic consulting. Over the years, Kersti has partnered with international companies and public sector organizations across the Nordics, the Baltics, and beyond – including Coca-Cola HBC, Scania, Fujitsu, Kühne+Nagel, Lidl, Scope Group, as well as ministries and healthcare institutions – helping them build clear and distinctive employer positions.

Since 2010, she has led one of the most comprehensive annual studies in the Baltics on employee expectations, offering insights that have informed both organizational decision-making and broader labor market discussions.

Kersti has also contributed to the development of the profession by initiating industry events such as Attractive Employer Day and the Employer Marketing Awards Magnet in Estonia and Finland, supporting knowledge sharing and raising standards across the field. She has also founded employer branding communities in both Estonia and Finland.

She is a regular jury member in international employer branding and marketing competitions, including the Effie Awards, Magnet Awards, PR Awards, and the Employer of Choice Awards.

Kersti is a highly regarded lecturer at universities across the Baltics and Finland, known for shaping the next generation of employer branding and HR professionals. As a representative of Instar, she is a founding member of the European Association of Employer Branding Agencies and actively contributes to the development of the field at a European level.