Paula Lehtomäki took over as the new Secretary-General of the Nordic Council of Ministers on 18 March 2019, making her the first woman to hold this position. Before that, from 2015 to 2019, she was a State Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office in Finland. As the State Secretary, Ms. Lehtomaki directed the functions of the Prime Minister’s Office, assisted the Prime Minister in the implementation of the Government Programme, and was responsible for co-operation with the ministries.
Additionally, she has served as Minister of the Environment from 2007 to 2011, as a Minister of Foreign Trade and Development from 2003 to 2007, and has been a member of the Parliament of Finland from 1999 to 2015.
Paula Lehtomäki holds a BSc in Political Science and an MSc in Economics and Business Administration.