Mikko Fritze has been the director of the Finnland-Institut since June 2021. Born in Tampere to a German family, Mikko spent his childhood in Finland, where he attended the German School in Helsinki. He continued his education near Cologne and studied German language, paedagogy and biology at the University of Hamburg. Mikko has worked at the Goethe-Institut in five different countries, including as the director of the Goethe-Institut in Finland in 2010−2017 and as the director of the Goethe-Institut in the Netherlands (Amsterdam) in 2017−2021. Before that, he was the director of Foundation for Tallinn – European Capital of Culture in 2007−2010. Mikko Fritze and his wife Maria Fernanda Perinot de Fritze are the happy parents of three children.

Suvi Wartiovaara has been a part of Finnland-Institut’s team since 1993. She works as the director’s assistant and is also responsible for the literature programme. Born in Helsinki, Suvi studied to be a certificated translator in Savonlinna, and later, she also studied political science at the University of Helsinki. In the year 1992 she moved to Berlin, where she enjoys the open and colourful metropolitan feeling every single day. Suvi believes in culture to build bridges, and thus in the institute’s role in this mission.

Mirjami Schuppert has been working as a curator both independently and within institutions in Finland, Germany, and Northern Ireland. Her curatorial projects – exhibitions, publications and event-based programming – have been held in galleries, museums and off-site venues. She has completed a BA and MA in Cultural History at the University of Turku, followed by a practice-based PhD in curating at Ulster University, Belfast (UK). The former director of Titanik Gallery and Arte Artists’ Association in Turku, she has also worked in a number of other roles, including educator, exhibition producer, and editor. Schuppert is the initiator of Wi Di Mimba Wi :: The AKB & SAVVY Contemporary Commission Prize.

Marion Holtkamp is responsible for the work related to press and public relations at the Finnland-Institut. She got to know Finland as an au pair. Marion graduated from the University of Göttingen in the fields of Scandinavian and Finno-Ugrian studies. By a scholarship, she also attended Åbo Akademi-University in Finland. After several years at the University of Kiel, she joined the team of the recently founded Finnland-Institut. One of Marion’s passions, which also makes her enjoy working at the Institute, is its multilingualism.

Gabriela Oprotkowitz holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and has worked at the Finnland-Institut since 2002 as financial and administrative manager. Gabriela is responsible for accounting, salary payments, and everything administration-related, and therefore gives the rest of the team the opportunity to focus on cultural work. She is a true original Berliner and loves to work in her home city. She has fond memories of the months spent at summer university in Mikkeli, Finland, during her studies.