Fund manager Cathie Wood is a celebrity in international investor circles. In late spring, she made a quick visit to Finland to appear at OP's event.

Ark Invest, a fund management company founded by Wood, a US native, is known for its high-risk investment in new technologies – such as the electric car manufacturer Tesla, cryptocurrencies and online game developer Roblox – which account for a considerable share of the company's flagship fund.

Wood, who orchestrated impressive returns during the pandemic and has become a global social media phenomenon, has made a long career spotting stock market winners. Before the turn of the millennium, her work brought her to Finland several times.

"In the 1980s and 1990s, I was here quite often because of Nokia," she says.

"I was the one analyst at my company at the time who wanted to go out and research companies outside of the US. In fact, Nokia helped me develop a love for technology and understand how quickly it can scale once it takes off. I was asked to come here to see what the former tyre manufacturer Nokia was all about."

Decades later, Wood remains interested in certain European companies and points out many intriguing ones in Finland's western neighbour, Sweden.

"Spotify is diversifying from music to everything audio, which is interesting. In turn, Klarna was one of the first companies to talk about vibe coding – if one person knows how to code, anyone can code, and we no longer need off-the-shelf software companies. It's also very interesting."

Attention to detail gives better investment decisions

According to Wood, Ark closely examines aspects such as the time span over which the costs of specific operations will decline and by how much. The question remains: Of all the businesses in the world, how do you pick the ones to invest in?

We get to hear what a genomics analyst talks about with an AI analyst. This generates a lot of aha moments.

Cathie Wood says the answer lies in Ark's brainstorming sessions organised every Friday, which she is passionate about and doesn't want to miss – not even while on holiday.

"Our analysts share with our chief futurists the most provocative ideas and greatest breakthroughs in their fields and research. As all the analysts are present, we get to hear what, say, a genomics analyst is talking about with an AI analyst. This generates a lot of aha moments. Half the participants are from outside the company, including engineers, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists."

Perhaps Cathie Wood's social media tip offers a more accessible path towards better investing decisions for the average person. If you're really interested in a new innovation such as drones, don't just follow "Sam the Drone Man". Follow whoever Sam follows. Follow who's responding to Sam.

"It's important to pay very close attention. Many don't want to do that, and they can get help from a fund management company. I'm also interested in this area!"

The information presented in this material does not constitute investment advice and is not intended as an offer or encouragement to buy or sell a particular financial instrument. When investing, it's wise to remember the associated risks. The value of an investment can either rise or fall, and there are no guarantees of recovering all your invested capital. OP does not guarantee a return on your investment, and past performance is no guarantee of future performance. Investment services are provided by OP cooperative banks.