Lassi Noponen appointed as Director General of Business Finland

Master of Laws, Master of Science Lassi Noponen has been appointed as the Director General of the Innovation Funding Agency Business Finland. His five-year term will start on 1 September 2024.

Noponen has made a long career in corporate management and responsibility tasks. He has extensive expertise in capital investment and business financing activities and significant practical experiences from companies’ RDI activities, growth and internationalisation.

From 2023, he has served as Special Adviser to the Minister of Economic Affairs. In 2010–2023 he was employed in management tasks in Eagle Filters Group. His previous positions include chair of the board of directors of Incap Oy, founding partner and CEO of Proventia Group and partner of Evli Corporate Finance. Before his career as an entrepreneur, he was employed in various expert and managerial positions in Neste Corporation.

A total of 30 persons applied for the post of Business Finland’s Director General. The Government decided on the appointment in its session on 11 July 2024.

Innovation Funding Agency Business Finland is a government agency operating in the administrative sector of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. The objective of the agency and the company it manages, Business Finland Oy, is to help business and industry to renew and develop through technology and innovation, to promote international networking, and to improve the quality of working life. The Director General leads, supervises and develops the agency and the entity formed by the agency and the company.

Inquiries:
Kari Klemm, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 063 523