Merja Paavola

Merja Paavola has extensive work experience in various positions related to public affairs, corporate relations, and international affairs. Merja started in 1997 as a Commercial Counsellor at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. Merja then worked as a Counsellor at the Government EU Secretariat from 2000 to 2003, followed by a role as a Counsellor in the Ministry of Trade and Industry from 2003 to 2004. From 2004 to 2008, they served as an Energy Counsellor at the Permanent Representation of Finland to the EU in Brussels. Merja then moved to the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, where they held the position of Head of Division in the Innovation Department from 2008 to 2010. Since then, they have been with Fortum, first as Deputy Vice President of Public Affairs from 2010 to 2014, then as Vice President of Corporate Relations from 2014 to 2020. Their most recent roles at Fortum include Vice President and head of the Public Affairs team from 2017 to 2020, and currently as the Vice President of Corporate Public Affairs.

Merja Paavola obtained an MSc degree in European politics from The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in 1995. Merja also holds an MSc degree in Politics from the University of Helsinki.