Juhapekka Ristola appointed Director General at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment

On 21 March 2024, the Government appointed Juhapekka Ristola, Master of Laws trained on the bench, to serve as Director General of the Innovation and Enterprise Financing Department of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment for the period of 1 April 2024–31 March 2029.

Ristola has worked as Senior Advisor on the theme of data economy at the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra since 2022. Prior to that, he served at the Ministry of Transport and Communications for twenty years where he was Director General and member of the Ministry’s management group in 2010–2022. Ristola has extensive experience in demanding preparation and management processes at the ministry and administrative branch, sector-specific industrial policy, RDI activities and intersectoral coordination of the preparation. In all, he has 19 years of management experience.

The Department for Innovation and Enterprise Financing is responsible for the development of business and innovation policy, enterprise policy and public enterprise financing. Through its activities, the Department promotes the growth, internationalisation and renewal of companies and industries. The Department directs the activities of the Innovation Funding Agency Business Finland, Geological Survey of Finland, Finnvera plc, Finnish Industry Investment Ltd, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd and Finnish Drug Discovery Center Ltd. 

The Director General leads, supervises and develops the operations of the Department for Innovation and Enterprise Financing and ensures that its duties are managed successfully and in ways that promote collaboration. 

Inquiries:
Heidi Nummela, Director of Human Resources and Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 29 504 7988