Changes to CMI’s board: new members boost board’s work

CMI’s board received two new members last week: Kai Sauer, the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Security Policy at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, and Veera Heinonen, the Director of Communications and Public Affairs at Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund.

New members of the CMI Board: Kai Sauer and Veera Heinonen.

CMI’s board has been reinforced with the addition of two new members: Kai Sauer, the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Security Policy at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, and Veera Heinonen, the Director of Communications and Public Affairs at Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund. Sauer and Heinonen replace Jutta Urpilainen, recently appointed EU Commissioner, and entrepreneur Kristina Pentti-Von Walzel as board members.

“CMI is an organisation founded by a Finnish president and a Nobel laureate, and with a strong international standing. In addition, CMI and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs are close partners. With this in mind, and being a former employee for President Ahtisaari, I regard this invitation as a great sign of trust,” said Sauer.

“The work of peace mediators such as CMI is now more important than ever, as in the diplomacy of the major powers there’s a shift from a value-based approach to one based on economic advantage. It is great to be supporting an actor who mediates and supports peace processes without its own content agenda, but using the most invaluable methods,” Heinonen added.

Alexander Stubb will continue as the Chair of the Board, with Gunvor Kronman as vice-president, and Aleksi Neuvonen, Christoph Vitzthum, Kirsti Lintonen, and Kari Lautjärvi as board members.