About the Ambassador

A Finnish national, Mr Salovaara brings over three decades of experience in diplomacy. Prior to his appointment, he served as Permanent State Secretary at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland (2022 - 2026), leading the Finnish Diplomatic Service.

From 2019 to 2022, Mr Salovaara was Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Finland to the United Nations in New York. Earlier, he held senior leadership roles at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, including Director-General for Political Affairs (2015–2019) and Director-General for European Affairs (2011–2015). Between 2008 and 2011, Mr Salovaara served at the Prime Minister’s Office as State Under-Secretary for EU Affairs and Deputy Head of the Government Secretariat for EU Affairs. He has also held several advisory roles, including as EU Policy Adviser and Foreign Policy Adviser to the Prime Minister (2006-2007 and 2003-2004), and as Counsel to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Finnish Parliament (2005-2006). Mr Salovaara served in London early in his career, as Second Secretary at the Embassy of Finland (1996-2000).

Mr Salovaara holds a Master of Political Science from the University of Helsinki. His mother tongue is Finnish, and he speaks English, French and Swedish. He is married and has three daughters.