Following elections in Finland, Mr Jyri Häkämies has been appointed Minister of Economic Affairs on 22 June 2011. He also becomes EIB Governor for the Republic of Finland, succeeding Mr Tapani Tölli (formerly the Minister of Public Administration).

Born in 1961 in Karhula, he studied Social Sciences. He has also been a Member of Parliament since 1999.

Before his appointment as Minister of Economic Affairs, he served as Minister of Defence and Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office from 2007.

From 1994 to 2003, he was the Managing Director of the Chamber of Commerce of the region of Kymenlaakso.

In 2003, he was the Chair of the Finnish Parliament’s Grand Committee, which deals with Finland’s membership in the European Union; and from 2006 to 2007, he was a member of the parliamentary Supervisory Council of the Bank of Finland.

From 1999 to 2006, he was a member of the Administrative Council of the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE). He also served on the Supervisory Boards of the company Kymen Puhelin Oy (1998-2007) and the Port of Kotka Ltd (2005-2007).