Niinistö: Ollila considered running for President in 2000

Jorma Ollila

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Sauli Niinistö, the likely candidate of the National Coalition Party for the Finnish Presidency in next year's elections, says that in his capacity as the party's chairman, he had asked Nokia Chairman and CEO Jorma Ollila to be the party's candidate in the previous elections in 2000.
      In his memoirs, which were published today, Monday, Niinistö said that he made his request to Ollila in the spring of 1999.
     
"I gave serious consideration to the initiative you made in the spring, and I have thought about the matter of the President of the Republic. Unfortunately, I must say no", was Ollila's answer, according to Niinistö's book.
      In the autumn of 1999 Niinistö turned down the candidacy, and the party chose Riitta Uosukainen, who was then the Speaker of parliament, as its candidate.
      Niinistö, who is to be formally named the candidate of the National Coalition Party, currently serves as Vice President of the European Investment Bank.
      Ollila announced earlier this month that he would give up his post at the helm of Nokia in June next year. Later it was announced that he would become the Non-Executive Chairman at the oil company Royal Dutch Shell. 


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Former Minister of Finance Niinistö enters race for Finnish Presidency (1.4.2005)
  Jorma Ollila to become non-executive chairman at Royal Dutch Shell (4.8.2005(
  Jorma Ollila to leave post as head of Nokia at end of May 2006 (2.8.2005)

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