René Nyberg
CEO, Ambassador
b. 1946, M.Sc. (Pol. Sc.)
mobile phone: +358 50 4203840
email: rene.nyberg(at)eastoffice.fi
René Nyberg was picked to head the newly established the East Office of Finnish Industries in April 2008.
Mr. Nyberg joined the Ministry of Education in 1969 after completing a degree in political science at the University of Helsinki. Two years later, he moved to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, where served in various capacities in Moscow, Leningrad, Brussels, Bonn, Vienna (OSCE) and Berlin. His areas of expertise include Russian affairs and security policy. In 2000, he was appointed Finland’s Ambassador to Moscow, a position he held until 2004. From 2004 to 2008 he served as Finland’s Ambassador to Berlin.
Joakim Holmström
Advisor/Economist
b. 1980 M.Sc. (Econ.) & M.Sc. (Polit.)
mobile phone: +358 50 589 6715
email: joakim.holmstrom(at)eastoffice.fi
Mr. Holmström joined the East office in the autumn of 2011.
Before joining East Office Mr. Holmström worked in the Oil, Gas, Mining, Chemical and Energy Sector Team at the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency in Washington D.C, U.S.A which is part of the World Bank Group (WBG). Prior to joining the WBG Mr. Holmström worked for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in the infrastructure sector group in St Petersburg, Russia and prior to that he was based at EBRD’s headquarters in London, U.K. Mr. Holmström has more than 11 years of international banking experience from various sectors with a special focus on investment projects in Russia.
Mr. Holmström holds a Master’s degree in Economics from Hanken School of Economics and another Master’s degree in Political Science from Åbo Akademi University.
Jari Jumpponen
Head of Representative office
b. 1977, M.Sc.(Soc.)
mobile phone: +358 40 5872437
email: jari.jumpponen(at)eastoffice.fi
Jari Jumpponen joined East Office of Finnish Industries in December 2009, works as a head of Moscow representative office since spring 2010.
Before joining East Office Mr. Jumpponen worked as a researcher and project manager at the Lappeenranta University of Technology. In 2008 he worked as a visiting researcher at the Graduate School of Management (of St.Petersburg State University), and in 2009 in the premises of Finnish-Russian Innovation Centre, St. Petersburg. He has written several academic papers focusing especially on foreign direct investment to and from Russia, Russian entrepreneurship, and management practices. Mr. Jumpponen has been involved in numerous public-private development projects in Russia.
Mr. Jumpponen holds a degree in Business Economics from the University of Joensuu, and is a doctoral student (Tech.) at the Lappeenranta University of Technology.
Silja Salo
Office Manager
b. 1958, Qualified Translator
mobile phone: +358 50 4203844
email: silja.salo(at)eastoffice.fi
Silja Salo joined East Office in November 2008.
Ms. Salo studied Russian language at the University of Tampere 1979-1983. After graduating she worked as an interpreter and translator in Nokia Corporation from 1983 to 1985. Later she joined Partek, where she worked as an interpreter and assistant in the corporation’s Russian export projects. In 1996 she was appointed Head of the representative office of Parastek (a daughter company of Partek) in Moscow. From 2006 to November 2008, Silja Salo worked as Executive Assistant in Faba Breeding Corporation.
Leysan Aflieva
Executive Secretary, Moscow office
b.1982, Teacher of English &Turkish languages
mobile phone: +7 916 9957064
e-mail: leysan.aflieva(at)eastoffice.fi
Leysan Aflieva joined East Office of Finnish Industries in January 2012.
Ms. Aflieva is a graduate of the Kazan State Pedagogical University, faculty of foreign languages (2002-2006). She is also a student at the Institute of International Trade & Law, faculty of World Economy (2010-2013). In 2005 Ms. Aflieva worked as Personal assistant to General Manager in a Turkish construction company AS “Teknolodžik” (Kazan). During 2007-2011 Ms. Aflieva worked as Office coordinator in Swedish representative company Haldex Rus and during 2006-2007 she worked as a Personal assistant to GM, O’Grae (Moscow).
Janne Hirvonen
Analyst
b. 1985, B.Sc. (Econ. & Bus. Adm.)
mobile phone: +358 50 4091734
email: janne.hirvonen(at)eastoffice.fi
Janne Hirvonen joined the East Office of Finnish Industries in February 2012.
Prior to joining East Office Mr. Hirvonen worked in a Russian retail trade related research project and he has previous work experience from the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Mr. Hirvonen is a Master’s degree student at the department of Finance, LUT School of Business, and he has pursued studies at the Finnish Master’s School in Russian and Eastern European Studies organized by Aleksanteri institute. As an essential part of his studies Mr. Hirvonen has participated in exchange semesters in Russia including studies at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow and St. Petersburg.