New Heads of Mission to Astana, Tunis and St Petersburg and side accreditation to Lesotho
At the presidential session on Friday 24 March, the President of the Republic appointed Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Mikko Kivikoski to serve as Head of Mission in Astana from 1 September 2017, Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Leena Gardemeister to serve as Head of Mission in Tunis from 1 September 2017, and Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Anne Lammila as Consul General in Finland’s Consulate General in St Petersburg from 1 May 2017.
Mikko Kivikoski will transfer to serve as Finland’s Ambassador to Astana from St Petersburg, where he has been Deputy Consul General since 2014.
He has served as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim in the Consulate General in St Petersburg since September 2016.
His diplomatic career includes postings to the Permanent Mission of Finland to the UN, Finland’s Permanent Mission to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna, and positions in Finland’s Embassies in Riga and Moscow.
In the Ministry, Kivikoski has worked in the Department for Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia and in the Department for the Americas and Asia.
Kivikoski joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 2001.
Leena Gardemeister will transfer to serve as Finland’s Ambassador to Tunis from London, where she has served as Deputy Head of Mission since August 2013.
In the Ministry, Gardemeister has worked as Director of the Export Control Unit and held positions in the Political Department and the Department for Development Policy.
Her career in the diplomatic service includes postings to the Permanent Representation of Finland to the European Union, the Mission of Finland to NATO, and Finland's Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
Gardemeister joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1999.
Anne Lammila has served as the Foreign Ministry’s Ambassador for Equality Issues since September 2015.
She has served as Finland’s Ambassador in Mexico and represented Finland in Central America, Cuba and Haiti and worked as Deputy Head of Mission in Washington.
In the Ministry, she has worked as Director and Deputy Director of the Unit for Latin America and the Caribbean and held positions in the Political Department and the Department for External Economic Relations.
She has worked as Deputy Permanent Delegate in the Permanent Delegation of Finland to UNESCO and held postings in Finland’s Embassies in Madrid, Brazil and Paris.
Lammila joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1983.
In addition, the President of the Republic authorised Ambassador Kari Alanko, Head of the Finnish Embassy to Pretoria to represent Finland also in Lesotho.
Inquiries: Inquiries: Pirjo Tulokas, Deputy Director General for Personnel, tel. +358 295 351 413.