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    Mikko Hautala
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Mikko Hautala

Chief Geopolitical and Government Relations Officer

b. 1972

Mikko Hautala is Nokia’s Chief Geopolitical and Government Relations Officer overseeing government affairs and policy matters globally for Nokia.

Mikko’s key priorities are to strengthen Nokia’s positioning in its current and future markets and support sustainable business growth as geopolitical factors and government policies increasingly shape the company’s operating environment.

Mikko has over two decades of government and diplomatic experience in prominent roles across the world. Before joining Nokia, he served as Finland’s ambassador to the United States. Prior to this, he was the Ambassador of Finland to Russia. He has also held a range of senior government roles, including foreign policy advisor to Finland’s former President Sauli Niinistö and diplomatic adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland. Prior to these roles he has served as the Deputy Head of Mission in the Embassy of Finland in Moscow, First Secretary at the Permanent Representation of Finland to the EU, Brussels, and held several roles in the Embassy of Finland in Kyiv, Ukraine. 

Mikko holds two Master’s degrees from the University of Helsinki including Master of Social Sciences in Political history and Master of Philosophy in Slavic languages. He holds a military rank of major (reserve).

He is based in Finland where he lives with his wife Heli Hautala and two sons.

 

Education:

  • Master of Social Sciences (Political history), University of Helsinki
  • Master of Philosophy (Slavic languages), University of Helsinki

 

Experience:

  • 2020–2024 Ambassador, Head of Mission, Embassy of Finland, Washington DC 
  • 2016–2020 Ambassador, Head of Mission, Embassy of Finland, Moscow
  • 2012–2016 Foreign Policy Adviser to the President, Office of the President of the Republic of Finland, Helsinki
  • 2011–2012 Minister, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Finland, Moscow
  • 2007–2011 Diplomatic Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Helsinki
  • 2002–2007 First Secretary, Permanent Representation of Finland to the EU, Brussels
  • 2001–2002 Attaché, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Helsinki
  • 1999–2001 Attaché, Embassy of Finland, Kyiv
  • 1998–1999 Visa Officer, Embassy of Finland, Kyiv

 

Additional positions:

  • Board Member Support for Finnish Society (SYT) foundation.
  • Chairman John Morton Center for North American Studies Board. University of Turku.

 

Awards:

  • Team Finland -Prize 2024, Confederation of Finnish Industries (Leading Team Finland effort for advancing Finnish companies interests in the United States
  • Annual Communications Award 2022, Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Successful Public Diplomacy effort by the Embassy of Finland in Washington D.C.
  • Ambassador Prize 2020, Confederation of Finnish Industries (Advancing Finnish companies interests in Russia)

 

Decorations:

  • Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland (FL C) 
  • Medal for Military Merits, Finland
  • Cross of Merit of the Frontier Guard, Finland 
  • Commander of the RoyalOrder of the Polar Star, Sweden
  • Commander with Star of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit, Norway 
  • Commander of the Order of Danneborg, Denmark
  • Commander of the Legion of Honour, France
  • Commander of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, Estonia Commander of the Order of the Three Stars, Latvia 
  • Commander of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland
  • Commander of the Order of Civil and Military Merit of Adolph of Nassau, Luxembourg