Kari Wihlman appointed as Director-General of Finnish Transport Agency with effect from 1 January 2018

Mr Kari Wihlman, Master of Laws, has been appointed Director-General of the Finnish Transport Agency with effect from 1 January 2018. The appointment is for a period of five years. The Government of Finland announced the appointment on 19 October 2017.

Wihlman will transfer to the Finnish Transport Agency from the Finnish Transport Safety Agency (Trafi), where he has worked as Director-General since 2010. Before that he served as Director-General of the Finnish Vehicle Administration in 2008-2009.

During his long career in the administrative branch of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, Wihlman has been in management roles in the Motor Vehicle Registration Centre, the Finnish Vehicle Administration and Trafi for altogether 26 years.

Antti Vehviläinen, the current Director-General of the Finnish Transport Agency, will transfer to the Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority to lead a joint project of the administrative branch that aims to promote the introduction of 5G technology in Finland. The project will also develop transport and communications networks and transport automation.

The Finnish Transport Agency is responsible for maintaining and developing the level of transport services on state-managed transport infrastructure. It promotes the functioning of the transport system, transport safety, and balanced and sustainable regional development. It administers, maintains and develops the roads and the state rail network and waterways. The Finnish Transport Agency has approximately 650 employees.