Tarja Jaakkola
Board observer
Tarja Jaakkola is NATO´s Assistant Secretary General for Defence Industry, Innovation and Armaments. In this role she leads the division responsible for facilitating the development and adoption of cutting-edge, innovative and interoperable capabilities, critical to ensuring the Alliance´s ability to undertake the full spectrum of operations and missions.
Before her current position, Tarja worked as Director General, Resource Policy Department in the Finnish Ministry of Defence and as Finnish National Armaments Director. From 2018 until late 2022 she held the position of Director of the Materiel Unit and Deputy National Armaments Director.
From October 2011 to September 2017 Tarja worked in the European Defence Agency in Brussels. She initially held the position of Assistant Director of the Industry and Market Directorate, and from 2014 onwards she worked in the European Synergies and Innovation Directorate as Deputy Director and the Head of Industry Strategy and wider EU Policies Unit.
Tarja has previously held different positions within the Ministry of Defence of Finland and Finnish Defence Forces with various armaments, defence industry and market related responsibilities. She has also served as a judge at the City Court of Helsinki, Senior Advisor at the Finnish Rail Administration and attorney-at-law.
Ms. Jaakkola received her Master of Laws Degree from Helsinki University. She is married and has one daughter.
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