Timo Viherkenttä selected to the Uniarts Helsinki Board
The experienced expert in financial matters and professional in board work in research and arts organisations joins the 11-member Board of Uniarts Helsinki.
The Uniarts Helsinki Collegium selected Doctor of Laws Timo Viherkenttä to the Uniarts Helsinki Board for a term extending from 15 April 2024 to 31 December 2027. A position on the Board opened up after board member Leevi Haapala resigned from his duties after being selected as the Academy of Fine Arts dean at Uniarts Helsinki.
Doctor of Laws and holder of the title of docent Timo Viherkenttä works as a senior fellow at Aalto University. His previous positions include CEO of the State Pension Fund of Finland, permanent under-secretary and director general for budget at the Ministry of Finance, justice of the Supreme Administrative Court, professor of practice at Aalto University School of Business and fixed-term professor of Faculty of Law at the University of Helsinki.
Viherkenttä has long-standing experience of board work in the field of research and arts. He has served as the chair of the board at the Finnish Cultural Foundation and the Finnish National Gallery and as a board member at the Finnish National Theatre. Currently, Viherkenttä is the vice chair of the board of the Finnish National Gallery and the chair of the delegation and a member of the board at the Finnish Institute in Rome. He also serves on the boards of Elo Mutual Pension Insurance Company, the Juho Vainio Foundation, the Savings Banks Research Foundation and the Foundation Helsingin Suomalaisen Yhteiskoulun Säätiö.
The selection criteria emphasised Timo Viherkenttä’s visionary financial expertise, experience in managing arts institutions, extensive networks and understanding of the intrinsic value of art. Viherkenttä’s experience of the university sector was considered an advantage.
11 members on the Uniarts Helsinki Board
The Uniarts Helsinki Board has a total of 11 members, and in addition to the newly-selected Timo Viherkenttä, the members from outside the university community are chair Eero Holstila, vice chair Minna Nurminen, Jukka Kekkonen and Sonya Lindfors. There are six internal members representing the university community. Professor members are Kristiina Ilmonen and Kirsi Monni. Other teaching and research staff and other personnel are represented by Anu Lampela and Katariina Kivistö-Rahnasto. Student representatives selected by the Student Union are Sini Kaartinen and Mikael Karkkonen.
The terms of the board members will end on 31 December 2025. Exceptions to this are Timo Viherkenttä and Minna Nurminen, whose terms will end on 31 December 2027.
The Uniarts Helsinki Collegium made the board member decision in its meeting on 15 April 2024.