Leena-Kaisa Mikkola appointed as next Ambassador to China

Mikkola's term starts on 1 September 2021

The President of the Republic appointed Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Leena-Kaisa Mikkola to serve as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Beijing, starting on 1 September 2021. Mikkola will move to Beijing from the Ministry’s Department for Africa and the Middle East, where she has worked as Director General since 2017. In 2016–2017, she served as Senior Adviser responsible for monitoring the situation in Syria.  In 2011–2016, Mikkola worked as Finland’s Ambassador in Tel Aviv. Her career in the Diplomatic Service includes posts in the Permanent Representation of Finland to the EU in Brussels and the Embassies of Finland in Canberra, Athens and Budapest. Mikkola joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1992. She holds a Master of Laws degree.