Pekka Soini becomes Director General of Tekes
On 4th April 2012, the Government appointed M.Sc. (Eng.) Pekka Soini (52) to the post of Director General of Tekes (the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation). Mr Soini will take up his duties on 1st September 2012, upon the retirement of the current Director General Veli-Pekka Saarnivaara. The appointment is for a period of seven years.
Since 2008, Soini has been Head of Corporate Development Office and Country Director at Nokia Siemens Networks. Previously, among other duties he has been Head of Strategy and Business Development at Nokia Siemens Networks, SVP Strategy and Business Development at Nokia Telecommunications, and headed Business Development and Marketing & Sales in the USA. Mr Soini has over 20 years of broad experience in demanding leadership roles within a major, globally operating company. He also has strong experience of, and familiarity with, the business world.
- Tekes plays a key role as a financer of the Finnish innovation chain. I am delighted by the number and quality of the applicants, and especially pleased at being able to announce the selection of a person for this highly responsible role who, as well as significant leadership experience, has considerable practical experience of international high-tech business activities. I am sure that such expertise will be of benefit to Tekes and its stakeholders in the coming years, commented Jyri Häkämies, Ministerof Economic Affairs, on the choice of Director General.
Tekes (the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation) finances and activates research and development projects and innovation activities undertaken by companies, universities and research institutes. The organisation serves around 3,000 companies and 50 universities and research institutes per year, as well as financing and launching some 2,000 research and development projects.
Tekes has offices in Helsinki and six cities overseas. From ELY Centres (Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment), services promoting innovation and internationalising business activities are provided by units functioning as part of the Tekes network.
The Director General leads, oversees and develops Tekes' activities, reporting to the Ministry of Employment and the Economy on the effectiveness of Tekes' operations and the achievement of its objectives. The post had 42 applicants. In accordance with the State Civil Servants Act applicable to senior positions in the civil service, Mr Soini has given a statement on possible other commitments, as required for his appointment as Director General.
Further information is available from:
Special Assistant to the Minister of Economic Affairs, Kai Mykkänen, tel. +358 (0)40 592 1499
Permanent Secretary, Erkki Virtanen, MEE, tel. +358 (0)10 606 3502
Newly appointed Director General, Pekka Soini, can be contacted by telephone on +358 (0)50 514 9718