On 2 June 2020, the Board of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs decided to appoint Counsellor for International Affairs Samu-Ville Paukkunen as the director of administration of the Institute. In addition, his tasks include acting as the Institute’s deputy director. Paukkunen will begin in his new position on 15 August.

Paukkunen has previously worked at the Finnish Parliament, the Office of the President of the Republic of Finland, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and the Finnish Defence Forces. His professional experience also includes serving as the secretary-general of an international organization.

According to the chair of the FIIA Board, Under-Secretary of State Kai Sauer, “FIIA’s significance for Finland continues to grow as uncertainty in the world is increasing and the continuity and structures of international cooperation are being questioned. In this new situation, more research both in terms of quantity and diversity is needed, so that Finnish policymakers can better anticipate and understand the changing world. As director of administration, Samu’s key task at FIIA is to create the right environment for conducting research that is relevant both scientifically and for the making of foreign policy.”   

For further information:

Director Mika Aaltola

+3589 432 7701

mika.aaltola@fiia.fi