New Ambassadors to Finnish missions abroad

Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Johanna Karanko was appointed to serve as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Brazil, starting on 1 September 2022. Before moving to the post in Brazil, she served as Head of Finland’s Consulate General in Hong Kong.  Her career in the Diplomatic Service includes posts in the Permanent Mission of Finland to the UN in New York and the missions in Paris, Geneva and Caracas. She joined the Ministry in 1996.
 

Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Jouko Leinonen was appointed to serve as Head of Mission at Finland's Embassy in Brussels, starting on 1 September 2022. He will move to Belgium from his post as the Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Brazil. His career in the Diplomatic Service includes posts in Paris, Brussels, Brazil and Abu Dhabi. He joined the Ministry in 1996.

 

 

Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Ilkka-Pekka Similä was appointed to serve as Head of Mission at Finland's Embassy in The Hague, starting on 1 September 2022. He will move to the Netherlands from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, where he is Director General of the Department for International Trade. Similä has previously served as Finland’s Ambassador to Hanoi and Abu Dhabi. His career in the Diplomatic Service includes posts in Geneva, Cairo and Vienna. He joined the Ministry in 1989.
 

Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Antti Rytövuori was appointed to serve as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Lima, starting on 1 July 2022. He will move to Peru from his post as the Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Riyadh. Rytövuori has previously served as Finland’s Ambassador in Rabat. His career in the Diplomatic Service includes posts in Geneva, Beijing and Los Angeles. He joined the Ministry in 1992.

 

Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Elina Kalkku was appointed to serve as Head of the Permanent Mission of Finland to the UN in New York, starting on 1 August 2022. She will move to New York from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, where she is Under-Secretary of State for development policy. Her career in the Diplomatic Service includes posts in the Permanent Mission of Finland to NATO in Brussels, the Permanent Mission of Finland to the UN in New York and in Madrid. She joined the Ministry in 1983.

 

Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Matti Nissinen was appointed to serve as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Pristina from 1 September 2022. He will move to Kosovo from his position as Director of the Unit for European Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). His career in the Diplomatic Service includes posts in Geneva, Ljubljana and Finland's Permanent Representation to the European Union in Brussels. He joined the Ministry in 2005.
 

Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Anu-Eerika Viljanen was appointed to serve as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Riyadh from 1 August 2022. She will move to Saudi Arabia from Finland’s Embassy in Paris. Her career in the diplomatic Service includes posts in Rabat, Brussels and Strasbourg. She joined the Ministry in 2001.
 

Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Anne Saloranta was appointed to serve as Head of Mission at Finland's Embassy in Riga, starting on 1 September 2022. She is transferring to Latvia from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, where she is Ambassador responsible for international recruitment. Saloranta has previously served as Finland’s Ambassador to Namibia. Her career in the Diplomatic Service includes posts in Budapest, in the Permanent Mission of Finland to the UN in New York and in the African Development Bank in Tunis. She joined the Ministry in 1997.

 

Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Tanja Jääskeläinen was appointed to serve as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Tokyo from 1 September 2022. She will move to Japan from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, where she is Deputy Director General of the Political Department. Jääskeläinen has previously served as Finland’s Ambassador to Tunisia. Her career in the Diplomatic Service includes posts in London, Damascus and Budapest. She joined the Ministry in 1995.


 

Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Teemu Sepponen was appointed to serve as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Tunis from 1 September 2022. He will move to Tunisia from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, where he is Director of the Export Control Unit. His career in the Diplomatic Service includes posts in Finland's Permanent Representation to the European Union in Brussels (two postings), Geneva and Paris. He joined the Ministry in 1999.