Commissioner Olli Rehn places his faith in fellow Finns

Most of Rehn’s cabinet members are economists

Olli Rehn

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The incoming EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn (Centre Party) is placing his faith in Finnish forces, as four of his 7-member cabinet will be Finns.
      The remaining three come from Estonia, France, and Great Britain.
      Timo Pesonen will continue as the Head of Cabinet, having held the same post when Rehn was the Commissioner for Enlargement.
     
The best known name among the new team is Vesa Vihriälä, who will move to Brussels from a post as State Under-Secretary for Economic Affairs in the Economic Council of Finland, a body for facilitating co-operation between the Government, the Bank of Finland and major interest groups. Previously, Dr. Vihriälä worked as the Managing Director of the Pellervo Economic Research Institute.
     
The other two Finns Risto Artjoki and Taneli Lahti were also members of Rehn’s cabinet already during his previous term.
      Agronomist Risto Artjoki has worked for example as the Director of the Finnish Agriculture and Cooperatives office in Brussels.
      Doctor of Economics Taneli Lahti joined Rehn’s team last year after having served as the Head of the Political Section of the Delegation of the European Commission to Russia in Moscow.
     
The Estonian member of the Cabinet is Matti Maasikas, the former Estonian Ambassador to Finland.
     
The other two foreign Cabinet members are Frenchwoman Stephanie Riso and Briton Mandeep Baines. The economists were both members in the Cabinet of Joaquin Almunia, the outgoing Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner.
      Stephanie Riso will be Rehn’s Deputy Head of Cabinet.
      Even though the Finnish-speaking members will have a majority in the team, the working languages will be English and French, according to Head of Cabinet Pesonen.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Rehn gets Economic & Monetary Affairs Commissioner post (27.11.2009)
  Rehn gets gentle grilling in European Parliament (12.1.2010)
  Olli Rehn goes before European Parliament today (11.1.2010)

See also:
  Olli Rehn focuses on economic affairs in preparation for EU Commission portfolio shuffle (20.10.2009)

Links:
  Commissioner Olli Rehn website

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