Vesa Vihriälä appointed Professor of Practice at the Helsinki Graduate School of Economics

The mission of the Helsinki Graduate School of Economics, established in the spring of 2018, is to expand the scope and improve the quality of education and research in economics in Finland, as well as to promote cooperation between economics and other fields of science. The Helsinki Graduate School of Economics is a unit jointly managed by Aalto University, the University of Helsinki and the Hanken School of Economics.

Vesa Vihriälä has served in several key economic positions, among others as advisor to Olli Rehn, vice-president of the European Commission, and as state under-secretary for economic affairs in the Prime Minister’s Office. From 2012 onwards, Vihriälä has worked as the managing director of the Research Institute of the Finnish Economy and the Finnish Business and Policy Forum EVA, a position he will relinquish in March.

Vesa Vihriälä completed his doctorate in social sciences at the University of Helsinki. His written output is primarily focused on economic policy, financial markets and EMU affairs.

“Vihriälä is a heavyweight among Finnish experts of economic policy whose comments are informed, measured and based on scientific research. His professorship of practice significantly boosts the impact of the Helsinki Graduate School of Economics and the University of Helsinki. We consider it extremely valuable to have Vesa Vihriälä join our ranks,” says Professor Hannu Vartiainen, academic director of the Helsinki GSE.

“It’s great to return to my alma mater in the final stretch of my professional career. Along the way, I have had the fortune of working with people who have constantly taught me new things. This luck of mine seems to be holding,” Vihriälä himself states.

Vihriälä’s position as professor of practice is part-time.

Further information:

Hannu Vartiainen, professor
Phone +358 40 720 6808
[email protected]

Vesa Vihriälä, managing director
Phone +358 43 824 1660
vesa.vihriälä@etla.fi