Finland: Antti Pelttari to continue as Director of the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service

NordenBladet — On Thursday 28 January, the Government appointed Antti Pelttari, Master of Laws, to continue in his post as the Director of the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service. The post will be filled for the period from 1 March 2021 to 28 February 2026.

Antti Pelttari has served as the Director of the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service since 2011. His leadership experience is mostly concentrated in the Ministry of the Interior’s branch of government and he has extensive skills in implementing development projects related to the remit of the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service. As the Director of the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service, Pelttari has been responsible for the organisational change of the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service in connection with the entry into force of the civilian intelligence legislation when the status, operational nature and role of the Service transformed from a police organisation into a security and intelligence organisation. As the Director, Pelttari has also been responsible for a number of other development projects in the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service, such as the information system reform and the premises project.

“National security issues will become increasingly important in Finland due to, for example rapid digitalisation and the continuing instability of the international situation. The Finnish Security and Intelligence Service plays an important and, in my opinion, growing role in maintaining Finland’s national security. My main task, together with others working here, is to continue the transformation of the agency, which is well under way, into Finland’s security and intelligence service. Our aim is that the information produced by the Service will better support the decision-making of the Finnish state leaders in foreign and security policy and the activities of the authorities in protecting national security,” says Pelttari.

Pelttari served at the Ministry of the Interior as the State Secretary in 2009–2011, the Director General of the International Affairs Unit in 2005–2008 and a Senior Ministerial Adviser in 1996–1998. Between 1998 and 2005, Pelttari worked as a Committee Counsel in Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committees. From 1993 to 1996, Pelttari served as a Legal Officer in the Legal Department of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

The Director of the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service is in charge of the operations of the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service and ensures that the tasks of the Service are carried out effectively, appropriately and efficiently. In addition, the Director of the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service is responsible for, among other things, ensuring the general operating conditions of the Service, agreeing with the Ministry of the Interior on the performance targets and appropriations of the Service, and establishing the operational strategy and the priorities of the activities. The Director is also responsible for operationally important development projects, international contacts and stakeholder cooperation.A comprehensive security clearance has been conducted on the Director of the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service and a non-compete agreement has been concluded with him under the Act on Public Officials in Central Government.