Kirsti Helena Kauppi became ambassador of Finland to the United States on Sept. 17, 2015, having previously served as director general of the Political Department at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs since 2012. Ambassador Kauppi, who has over 30 years of experience in foreign policy, also served as director general for Africa and the Middle East in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (2009-12).

In 2005, she was appointed Finnish ambassador to Austria and permanent representative to the U.N.-related international organizations in Vienna, including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). During her term in Vienna (2005-09), Ambassador Kauppi also served for three years as the Finnish governor in the IAEA Board of Governors, including vice chair of the board. In addition to Vienna, Ambassador Kauppi has served as deputy chief of mission (minister) in the Finnish Embassy in Berlin (2003-05); in Washington, D.C. (1997-2000); and in Bangkok (1989-92). Ambassador Kauppi’s solid knowledge on European Union affairs builds on her four-year service in Brussels at the Finnish Permanent Mission to the EU (1993-97), as well as her time as head of the unit responsible for the EU’s common foreign and security policy coordination in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Helsinki (2001-03) and as advisor to the state secretary (2000-01).

In the beginning of her career, Ambassador Kauppi worked primarily on development cooperation issues, including in the Finnish Embassy in Bangkok (1989-92) and the International Labour Organization in Geneva (1985-86). Ambassador Kauppi was born in 1957 in northern Finland in the town of Oulu, and she received her master’s degree in economics from the Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration. She speaks Finnish, English, Swedish, German and French. Ambassador Kauppi is also an avid reader of history and enjoys walking and bicycle riding in her free time.

Contact Information

Embassy of Finland
3301 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20008

Phone: (202) 298-5800
Fax: (202) 298-6030

  Website: http://www.finland.org
Email: sanomat.was@formin.fi