Sari Antila appointed development manager at the School of Arts, Design and Architecture as Pekka Saarela leaves for retirement

Dean Tuomas Auvinen has appointed Sari Antila, (BBA), as development manager of the School of Arts, Design and Architecture. Her duties are scheduled to begin on 1 April 2022 as current development manager Pekka Saarela leaves for retirement.

Sari Antila has worked at Aalto since 2012, serving first as Head of Finance in University level services and from 2014 onwards as Head of Finance in the School. In the past year, she has been the project manager of the School’s large portfolio renewal project.

“I am delighted to continue collaborating with Sari Antila as she takes on this new role. I appreciate her deep strategic insight and commitment to developing and improving our School’s activities. She is already very familiar with our School, our fields of study and our stakeholders, while also having a strong vision of the challenges we will have to face in the future," says Dean Tuomas Auvinen.

“At the same time, I want to convey my sincere thanks to previous Development Manager Pekka Saarela for his consistent work for the benefit of the School. Pekka started at the University of Art and Design Helsinki already in 1995, was in 2007 part of the group that planned the founding of Aalto University. Later in 2008 he joined the transformation team of the University.  In this way he had a crucial role in the forming of Aalto, and his extensive and involved work is greatly appreciated,” continues Dean Tuomas Auvinen.

”It has been exciting to witness the renewal of the University since 2005. Aalto University is a success story in many aspects. On top of its core functions, Aalto has sparred other Finnish universities as well”, says Pekka Saarela.

”It is exciting to be able to continue working with and for the respected and unique Aalto ARTS community, supporting and advancing the arts and creative practices. Of course, it is impossible to replace Pekka in this task, but I promise to do my very best,” says Sari Antila.