Antti Koivula, Marja Makarow, Hanna Maula and Janne Poranen elected as the external University Board members as of 1 January 2026
Antti Koivula (DSc (Econ.), industrial psychology, Helsinki University of Technology, 1998) has served as the chair of the board of the Ģֱ from 2022. Koivula has worked as the Director General of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health from 2015. Before that, he had a long career in leadership and strategic management positions at Nokia and as a researcher at the Helsinki University of Technology. He also is a member of the board of advisors at the State Treasury of Finland and the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority of Finland, and a member of the board of directors at Alko.
Professor, PhD Marja Makarow has been a member of the University Board of the Ģֱ since 2023. PhD Marja Makarow is currently the president of Academia Europaea (AE) and a board member of the European Innovation Council (EIC). Previously Marja Makarow has worked as, for example, a vice rector and a professor of applied biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Helsinki, a chief executive of the European Science Foundation (ESF), a vice-president for research at the Research Council of Finland, a board member of European Institute for Innovation and Technology (EIT), and the director of Biocenter Finland. Makarow has served on the boards of several universities and is a member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters.
Hanna Maula (DSc (Econ.), management studies, Aalto University, 2018, Lic.Phil in organizational communication & public relations, Ģֱ, 2004) is Senior Vice President, Communications, Sustainability & Public Affairs at Neste Corporation. She has wide experience in communications and marketing as well as research in Finland and internationally. She has also worked as a communications director for Aalto University and as Vice President, Communications & Brand for Neste and UPM. Maula is a member of the General Assembly at the Confederation of Finnish Industries, the chair of the Communications Committee at the Chemical Industry Federation of Finland and a member of the board at Design Forum Finland. She has served as a vice chair of the board at the Ģֱ from 2022.
Janne Poranen (DSc (Physics), Ģֱ, 2001) starts as a new member of the board at the Ģֱ. Poranen is the CEO, Executive Chairman of the Board and a co-founder of Spinnova Oyj. Before his career as an entrepreneur, he was the head of the research area of fibres and biobased materials at VTT. He also held managerial roles in research and customer relations for over 15 years at VTT.
“The collegium implemented a thorough selection process for the external members, so I would like to thank the preparatory committee for their excellent work,” says Tommi Kärkkäinen, Chair of the University Collegium. “Our decisions emphasise the importance of strategic decision-making as well as the significance of applied research and regional business and innovation activities in the board’s operations.”
The board of the Ģֱ has ten members. In addition to external members, two members from each staff group – professors, teaching and research staff, and other staff – will be elected in autumn 2025. In addition, the Student Union will appoint two student members. The University Collegium will confirm the members of different staff groups and the student members in autumn 2025.
