Laura Hirvi has been the director of the Finnish Institute since 2015. Before that, she received her PhD in Ethnology from Helsinki University where she worked as a researcher, and acted as a visiting researcher at the University Santa Barbara in the USA through an ASLA Fulbright-programme. Hirvi grew up in a Finnish-German family, and therefore the cultures of both countries are familiar to her. It is her calling to improve cross-border dialogue through her work at the Finnish Institute.

Suvi Wartiovaara has been a part of The Finnish Institute’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.”

Essi Kalima has been in charge of the culture programme at the Finnish Institute since 2015. After completing her master's degree in communication studies at the universities of Helsinki and Amsterdam, she immediately discovered the German-speaking region as close to her heart. Berlin has been her home for 17 years. The active cultural exchange between Finland and Germany has strongly influenced Essi’s career progress. It has been her passion to work both at the Finnish Institute and at the Finnish Embassy of Berlin as a culture specialist. Her motto has always been: stay curious, open and flexible in your thinking.

Marion Holtkamp is responsible for the work related to press and public relations at the Finnish Institute. 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 Finnish Institute in Germany. One of Marion’s passions, which also makes her enjoy working at the Finnish Institute, is its multilingualism.

Gabriela Oprotkowitz holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and has worked at the Finnish Institute 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.”

Maija Toivonen will work as a project manager at the Finnish Institute until March 2020.