Ambassadors to Dakar, São Paulo and Warsaw and Non-resident Ambassador to South Sudan
At the presidential session on Wednesday 13 April, the President of the Republic decided to appoint three new Ambassadors and one Non-resident Ambassador.
Finland’s Embassy in Dakar, Senegal
The President of the Republic appointed Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Anu Saxén to serve as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Dakar from 19 April 2022. Saxén will move to Senegal from the Ministry, where she has worked as Director of the Development Evaluation Unit since 2018.
She has prior experience of work in the Diplomatic Service from the Embassy of Finland in Pretoria, where she served in 2014–2018.
In the Ministry, her work has focused on various aspects of development cooperation, project management and export promotion. In 2007–2011, she served at the World Bank and, in 1999–2001, at the European Commission. Saxén joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 2001.
She holds the degree of Master of Science in Technology. She also holds a special qualification in management and land use planning.
Consulate of Finland in São Paulo, Brazil
The President of the Republic appointed Counsellor Kari Puurunen to serve as Consul at the Consulate of Finland in São Paulo from 1 August 2022.
Puurunen will move to Brazil from the Foreign Ministry's Unit for North America, where he has been responsible for trade and economic matters related to the United States since 2020.
In the Ministry, his work has focused on various tasks relating to trade policy, multilateral diplomacy and development policy.
His career in the Diplomatic Service includes posts at Finland’s missions in Geneva, Maputo and Lisbon and the Permanent Mission of Finland to the UN. Puurunen joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1998.
He holds the degree of Master of Arts.
Finland’s Embassy in Warsaw, Poland
The President of the Republic appointed Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Päivi Laine to serve as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Warsaw from 1 September 2022.
Laine will move to Poland from Kyiv, where she has been Finland's Ambassador since 2019.
In 2016–2019, she served as Roving Ambassador to Iraq. Her career in the Diplomatic Service includes posts in Moscow, Warsaw, London and Riga.
Laine joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1995. She holds the degree of Master of Arts.
Finland's Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (representation in South Sudan)
Additionally, the President of the Republic authorised Ambassador of Finland to Addis Ababa Outi Holopainen to represent Finland also in South Sudan.
Inquiries:
Kirsti Pohjankukka, Deputy Director General for Human Resources, tel. +358 40 521 0038