New heads of mission appointed

At the presidential session on 23 May, the President of the Republic appointed the following persons to serve as heads of missions: Petri Puhakka, Kathmandu; Kirsikka Lehto-Asikainen, Paris; Eija Rotinen, Bogota; Antti Putkonen, Baghdad; Ville Cantell, Reykjavik; Lasse Keisalo, Lima; Katja Ahlfors, Dakar; Teemu Turunen, London; and Stefan Lindström, Houston. In addition, the President of the Republic appointed the Ambassador to Pretoria, Pekka Metso, to serve as non-resident Ambassador to Mauritius.

Embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal

The President of the Republic appointed Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Petri Puhakka to serve as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Kathmandu, starting on 1 August 2025.

Puhakka is currently serving as Ambassador for Disability Inclusion. His previous positions include Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Kuala Lumpur in 2016–2020, Director of Human Resources Development in 2012–2016 and Head of East Asia Team in 2011–2012. 

Petri Puhakka joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1995. He holds a Master’s degree in International Marketing. 

Embassy in Paris, France

The President of the Republic appointed Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Kirsikka Lehto-Asikainen to serve as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Paris, starting on 1 September 2025.

Lehto-Asikainen is currently serving as Ambassador for the Gulf region. She served as Head of the Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Tel Aviv in 2019–2023 and as Director of the Unit at the Department for Africa and the Middle East in 2014–2019. Lehto-Asikainen worked at the Ministry of Defence in 2013–2014. She also worked at Finland’s Embassy in Paris in 2004–2007.

Kirsikka Lehto-Asikainen joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1998. She holds the degree of Master of Sciences in International Business from the Helsinki School of Economics and the degree of Master of Social and Human Sciences in European Studies and International Affairs from Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. She studied at Ecole Nationale d'Administration (ENA) in France in 2012–2013. 

Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia

The President of the Republic appointed Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Eija Rotinen to serve as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Bogotá, starting on 1 September 2025.

Rotinen is currently serving as Ambassador for Bio and Circular Economy. Her previous positions include Ambassador for Developing Markets in 2023–2024, Senior Adviser for Trade and Development in 2022–2023 and Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Santiago in 2018–2022. 

Eija Rotinen joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1987. She holds a Master of Laws degree.

Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq

The President of the Republic appointed Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Antti Putkonen to serve as Head of Mission at Finland's Embassy in Baghdad, starting on 1 September 2025. 

Putkonen is currently on personnel rotation at the Ministry of Defence. He served as Deputy Head of Mission in Vienna in 2021–2023 and as Director of the Unit for Consular Assistance in 2018–2021. 

Antti Putkonen joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 2005. He holds a Master of Science degree in geography.

Embassy in Reykjavik, Iceland

The President of the Republic appointed Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Lars (Ville) Cantell to serve as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Reykjavik, starting on 1 September 2025.

Cantell transfers to the post from the Euro–Atlantic Department, where he is working as Senior Adviser for the Nordic and Baltic countries. He has previously served, among other positions, as a director in two different units and as Head of Europe Information at the Department for Communications in 2015–2024. He was Editor-in-Chief of Kauppapolitiikka magazine in 2013–2015. His career in the diplomatic service includes posts in Finland’s Embassies in Berlin, Brazil and Ljubljana, where he served as Chargé d' Affaires ad interim in 2010–2011. 

Ville Cantell joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 2003. He holds Master of Laws degree from both Finland and Sweden.

Embassy in Lima, Peru

The President of the Republic appointed Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Lasse Keisalo to serve as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Lima, starting on 1 September 2025.

Keisalo is currently serving as Director of the Unit for Latin America and the Caribbean. Prior to this, he worked as Head of Mission at Finland’s Consulate in São Paulo in 2019–2022 and as Director of Unit at the Political Department in 2016–2019.

Lasse Keisalo joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1997. He holds a Master of Laws degree.

Embassy in Dakar, Senegal

The President of the Republic appointed Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Katja Ahlfors to serve as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Dakar, starting on 1 September 2025.

Ahlfors transfers to Dakar from her position as Senior Adviser. In 2021-2024 she served as Director at the Foreign Ministry’s Centre for Peace Mediation and in 2018-2021 as Director of the Unit for Development Policy. Her career in the diplomatic service includes posts in Finland’s Embassy in Stockholm and in Finland’s Embassy in Addis Abeba. 

Katja Ahlfors joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 2004. She holds a Master's degree in Political Science. 

Embassy in London, the United Kingdom

The President of the Republic appointed Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Teemu Turunen to serve as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in London, starting on 1 September 2025.

Turunen is currently working as Deputy Director of the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service SUPO. Prior to this, he served as Ambassador for Peace Mediation in 2020–2021, as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Buenos Aires in 2016–2019 and as Director of the Unit for Consular Assistance in 2012–2016. 

Teemu Turunen joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 2000. He holds two university degrees: Master of Laws and Master of Sociology of Law.  

Consulate General in Houston, the United States

The President of the Republic appointed Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Stefan Lindström to serve as Head of Mission at Finland’s Consulate General in Houston, starting on 1 August 2025.

Lindström transfers to Houston from his position as Ambassador for Technology, which he has held since 2021. Prior to this, he served as Head of Mission in Finland’s Consulate General in Los Angeles in 2017–2021. His career in the diplomatic service includes posts in New Delhi, the United States, Jakarta and Lisbon. 

Stefan Lindström joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1997. He holds two university degrees: Master of Social Sciences and Master of Science.

Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa (non-resident Ambassador to Mauritius)

The President of the Republic appointed Ambassador Pekka Metso, Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Pretoria, to serve as a non-resident Ambassador in Mauritius.