The Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland is an expert on Finnish culture and society. The Institute supports the internationalisation of Finnish contemporary art and helps artists, researchers and social and cultural actors to create international networks. The Institute was founded in 1991 and it is a non-profit, private foundation funded by The Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture. The institute sees the arts as a powerful means towards a fairer and more sustainable society. The operating landscape of the Institute has changed due to Brexit.
As Tommi Laitio will be ending his term as the Chair of our Board in April 2023, we are launching a search for a new Chair. We see that transparency combined with clear criteria provides ideal conditions for finding the best candidate.
We are looking for an insightful leader knowledgeable and networked in the arts in Finland, committed to diversity and inclusion and skilled in good governance. The Chair is the employer’s representative in relation to the Director. An ideal candidate has proven their abilities in inclusive leadership but has a hunger for new challenges. As the board operates in English, we are looking for a Chair able to conduct this position in English.
The foundation has a board of six members. The board meets 4-5 times a year in Finland for a two-hour meeting and once a year in the United Kingdom or Ireland for a one-day meeting. There is no financial compensation for the board membership apart from covering all travel costs.
The process for recruiting a new Chair of the board is as follows:
November 2022: We welcome applications for the role of Chair whilst we also source potential candidates. The candidates will not be disclosed to anyone outside the current board.
We would ask applications to include a simple CV and single page statement of interest as part of their application.
December 2022 – January 2023: Preliminary meetings with the leading candidates.
January: Selection of the candidate.
April 2023: Annual General Meeting where the new Chair will be elected and announced.
For further information about the position, please contact Member of the Board, Jeremiah Tesolin (jeremiah.tesolin@fininst.uk).
