Finland Times

The five-year term will begin on October 1.

Erkki Virtanen, who has been the ministry’s permanent secretary since its establishment on January 1, 2008, will retire in the autumn. 

Jari Gustafsson is currently the Finnish ambassador at the Embassy of Finland in Beijing. From 2009 to 2013 he had been the ambassador at the Finnish Embassy in Tokyo. His previous positions include board member and deputy member at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development from 2007 to 2009, deputy director general at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs from 2003 to 2006, head of group at the Ministry of Trade and Industry from 1998 to 2003, counsellor in Finland’s Permanent Representation to the OECD in Paris from 1995 to 1998, and commercial secretary, senior officer and commercial counsellor at the Ministry of Trade and Industry from 1987 to 1995.

There were 22 applicants for the position of permanent secretary.