Laitinen takes over as Border Guard Chief

Lieutenant General Ilkka Laitinen will start work as Chief of the Finnish Border Guard on 1 September 2018, when Lieutenant General Jaakko Kaukanen, the current Border Guard Chief will go for retirement, said an official press release.

President Sauli Niinistö appointed Major General Ilkka Laitinen to the post of Chief of the Finnish Border Guard in May.

At the same time, the President promoted Laitinen to the rank of Lieutenant General, effective 1 September 2018.

Prior to taking up this new post, Laitinen has served as Deputy Chief of the Finnish Border Guard and as Executive Director of Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency.

Major General Pasi Kostamovaara will take up the post of Deputy Chief of the Finnish Border Guard as of 1 September 2018.

He will be transferring to this new post from his current position as Chief of the Border and Coast Guard Division of the Border Guard. Rear Admiral Markku Hassinen will take up the post of Chief of the Border and Coast Guard Division of the Border Guard as of 1 September 2018, transferring from his current position as the Border Guard´s Chief of Personnel Division. Promoted as Brigadier General Matti Sarasmaa will start work as Chief of Personnel Division as of 1 September 2018.

In addition to the individuals appointed by the president in May, Colonel Mika Rytkönen will start work on 1 September 2018 as Commanderof the Kainuu Border Guard District, transferring to this new post from his current position as Head of the International Affairs Unit of the Headquarters of the Finnish Border Guard. Lieutenant Colonel Matti Pitkäniitty will take up the position of Head of the International Affairs Unit.