Ms Paula Lehtomäki appointed as State Secretary to the Prime Minister

On Wednesday 17 June, the Government appointed Ms Paula Lehtomäki (42), Master of Science (Economics and Business Administration) as State Secretary to the Prime Minister from 1 July 2015. She is appointed for the duration of the Prime Minister's term of office.

Ms Lehtomäki has served as Member of Parliament from 1999 to 2015 and as Minister of the Environment and Minister for Foreign Trade and Development in earlier governments.

A State Secretary has been appointed to the Prime Minister’s Office since 1990 and his/her term is linked to that of the Prime Minister. The duties of the State Secretary are, as the Prime Minister’s closest aide, to promote and monitor the implementation of the Government Programme, to direct preparation of matters in the Government and to ensure cooperation with the ministries. A State Secretary directs the Prime Minister’s Office and is assisted by the Permanent State Under-Secretary. The State Secretary to the Prime Minister also chairs meetings of the ministries’ Permanent Secretaries.

Inquiries: Timo Lankinen, Permanent State Under-Secretary, tel. +358 295 160 300, and Riina Nevamäki, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister, tel. +358 9 160 22009, Prime Minister's Office