New Board appointed for the University of Vaasa

The Board of the University of Vaasa has nine members, four of whom come from within and five from outside the university. The members from within the university community will be selected later in the autumn. The Board has a term of four years, but the term of a student member is two years. The term of Pirkko Nuolijärvi, who will continue on the Board for a second term, is two years. The current Board’s term is from 14 August 2009–31 December 2013.

The chairman of the University Collegium, Professor Martti Laaksonen, is happy with the renewal of a successful Board with members who come from outside the university.

“The new Board has outstanding experts in fields that are important for the University’s focus areas and the development of the university. They are extensively networked and experienced decision-makers from both the public and private sector. The selected members are characterised by versatility and international experience. I believe that these nominations will further strengthen the national and international success of the University of Vaasa.”

Lars G. Hassel

Professor Lars Hassel is the principal of the Umeå University School of Economics and a professor of accounting. He has worked as a long-term visiting scholar in many foreign universities. In recent years, he has specialised on the research of sustainable investment solutions as the Director of an international research programme, funded by the Mistra Foundation. Lars Hassel received his doctorate from and has worked as a professor at Åbo Akademi University. Hassel was born in 1950.

Anne Korkiakoski

Executive Vice President of Marketing & Communications at Kone Oy, Anne Korkiakoski is a Master of Economic Sciences from the University of Vaasa. Selected as the Marketing Manager of the Year in 2012, Korkiakoski is a member of the Board of Directors at Kone and is responsible for the company’s global marketing and communications. Kone was just selected as one of the world’s most innovative companies (Forbes). Korkiakoski has previously worked for Elisa Oyj and as the Managing Director of Euro RSCG Nordic. She was born in 1964.

Pirkko Nuolijärvi

Professor Pirkko Nuolijärvi, the Director of the Institute for the Languages of Finland, will start her second term in the Board at the University of Vaasa. She holds a doctorate in philosophy. She was previously the Assistant Professor for Finnish and communications at the Helsinki School of Economics, and has worked at the University of Helsinki and Uppsala University. She has been a member of the Board at the Academy of Finland (2003-2009) and is currently the Vice President of the Language Committee under the Ministry of Justice. Pirkko Nuolijärvi is a professor emerita at the University of Vaasa. She was born in 1949.

Heikki Uusitalo

ABB Oy Chief Technology Officer and Division Manager Heikki Uusitalo has a diverse international career. He has collaborated with the University of Vaasa Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation for a long time. Uusitalo has strong experience in administration and management and he is the First Vice President of the Board at the Ostrobothnia Chamber of Commerce, Vice President of the Board at VASEK Oy, and the President of the Ostrobothnia Regional Board of Directors at the Confederation of Finnish Industries. Uusitalo, who comes from Vaasa, is a Master of Science in Technology. He was born in 1954.

Johnny Åkerholm

After a long career with economic policy and finance, Johnny Åkerholm retired as the President and CEO of Nordic Investment Bank. Until the end of this year, he will act as an economic policy expert to the Economic Council at the Prime Minister’s Office. He holds a Licentiate in Political Science and is a Master of Economics. He has previously worked in the Bank of Finland, as the Secretary General of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London, as the Under Secretary of State in the Ministry of Finance and as the President of the European Union’s Economic and Financial Committee. He was born in 1948.