Mr. Sauli Niinistö was recently appointed Vice President of the Management Committee of the European Investment Bank. He succeeds Mr. Ewald Nowotny who ended his four-year term. Mr. Niinistö, who was appointed by the Board of Governors on a proposal by Sweden, Austria and Finland (the three countries form a shareholder constituency), was Deputy Prime Minister of Finland from 1995 until 2001. A lawyer by education, he was a member of the Finnish government as Minister of Justice from 1995-1996 and Minister of Finance from 1996 until 2003. He chaired his party, Kokoomus (National Coalition Party), from 1994 until 2001. Mr Niinistö was Chairman of the European Democratic Union (EDU) 1998-2002 and is since 2002 Honorary Chairman of EPP (European People's Party).
Mr. Niinistö began his career in 1976 as Senior Secretary of the Turku Court of Appeal where he later became a judge (1994-1995). In between (1978-1988) he worked as an Attorney at Law in Salo. He gained a legal degree (LL.M) from the University of Turku in 1974.
He was born in 1948 in the city of Salo.
The European Investment Bank, the European Union's long-term lending institution, finances capital investment furthering EU integration, in particular: regional development, environmental protection, industrial competitiveness and R&D, health and education, trans-European networks in transport, telecoms and energy, as well as SMEs). In 2002, the EIB has lent some EUR 39.6 billion, of which EUR 33.4 billion within the EU. Owned by the Member States, the EIB raises its funds on capital markets (AAA issuer) and is the largest supranational issuer.