Antti Riivari appointed as Director General of Finnish Patent and Registration Office

On 25 August 2016, the Government appointed Antti Riivari as Director General of the Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH). Riivari's five-year term will run from 1 March 2017 to 28 February 2022. A total of 14 candidates applied for the post.

Antti Riivari merits include a sound knowledge of the Patent and Registration Office's area of responsibility, a realistic vision about the Office's role in relation to its operating environment and stakeholders, and a good knowledge of related EU and international issues. He also has strong experience in government development and digitalisation processes.

Currently, Riivari serves as the head of the internal market policy and business law group in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. Riivari has worked in state administration for 25 years, first in the then Ministry of Trade and Industry and later at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. Riivari has also worked as Counsellor at the Permanent Representation of Finland to the EU in Brussels.

Rauni Hagman, the current Director General of the Patent and Registration Office, will retire next year. The Finnish Patent and Registration Office falls under the administrative branch of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.

Inquiries:
Pekka Timonen, Director-General, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 29 506 0060