A civilian official at the Ministry of Defence has been named to the highest post of any Finn ever within Nato.
The ministry announced on Thursday that Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has appointed Tarja Jaakkola, Director-General of the ministry’s Resource Policy Department, to serve as Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment. She takes over the post on 2 September.
In her role, Jaakkola will lead the Defence Investment Division, which oversees the development of Nato and Allied material capabilities, including air and missile defence. She will also chair the Conference of National Armaments Directors.
"I am very pleased with being appointed to such a responsible and demanding position. The current security situation highlights the importance of defence materiel, defence industry and Allied cooperation in Nato’s deterrence and defence," Jaakkola said in a ministry statement.
Jaakkola is the first Finn to be appointed as Assistant Secretary General.
"Jaakkola’s appointment is great news for both Finland and Nato. Finland has expertise and experience to offer for prominent positions. What makes this appointment even more remarkable is that Finland has not been a member of Nato for long," Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen (NCP) said. Finland joined the alliance in April 2023.
Jaakkola, a lawyer, has been Director-General of the Defence Ministry’s Resource Policy Department for two years. Before that she served as head of the ministry’s Material Unit and as a Senior Ministerial Adviser, and also held senior positions at the European Defence Agency in Brussels.
Nato has seven other Assistant Secretaries General, including one other woman, Marie-Doha Besancenot of France. She was appointed last autumn and is responsible for public diplomacy.
Outgoing Secretary General Stoltenberg visited Finland in June. After a decade in the post, he will be succeeded on 1 October by former Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte.
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