Sirkka Aune-Marjatta Hämäläinen (born 8 May 1939 in

Riihimäki Riihimäki (; ) is a town and municipality in the south of Finland, about north of Helsinki and southeast of Tampere. An important railway junction is located in Riihimäki, since railway tracks from Riihimäki lead to Helsinki, Tampere and La ...

) is a Finnish economist who served as a member of the

Executive Board of the European Central Bank The Executive Board of the European Central Bank is the organ responsible for implementing monetary policy for the Eurozone in line with the guidelines and decisions taken by the Governing Council of the European Central Bank. The executive boar ...

from 1998 to 2003. She previously served as the governor of the

Bank of Finland The Bank of Finland (, ) is the national central bank for Finland within the Eurosystem. It was the Finnish central bank from 1865 to 1998, issuing the markka. It views itself as the fourth oldest surviving central bank in the world, after Swed ...

from 1992 to 1998. Hämäläinen was the first woman to hold either post.

Early life and education

Hämäläinen was born on 8 May 1939, in Riihimäki. Her parents were Martti Oskari Hinkkala, a farmer, and Impi Aune Nikander, a household economics teacher. She graduated from the Karkkila Co-educational School in 1957 and following it attended

Helsinki School of Economics The Aalto University School of Business (; ), is the largest business school in Finland. Founded in 1911, it is the second oldest business school in Finland and one of the oldest business schools in the Nordic countries. The school became part of ...

from which she obtained her B.S. and M.Sc. in economics in 1961 and 1964 respectively. She continued her studies at the same alma mater and got her Licentiate and

Doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''doctor'', meaning "teacher") or doctoral degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' licentia docendi'' ("licence to teach ...

in 1979 and 1981 respectively.

Career

Sirkka Hämäläinen began her career in 1961 as a research assistant at the Bank of Finland Institute for Economic Research. She was then promoted to Economist and served as such until 1972 when she became Head of the Department of National Economy. From 1981 to 1982 Hämäläinen was Head of the Department at the

Ministry of Finance A ministry of finance is a ministry or other government agency in charge of government finance, fiscal policy, and financial regulation. It is headed by a finance minister, an executive or cabinet position . A ministry of finance's portfoli ...

and from 1982 to 1991 served as a Director at the

. In 1992 she was appointed Governor of the central bank, and was the first woman to hold that post. Hämäläinen resigned from the Bank of Finland when appointed to serve on the

, also the first female in the, which she kept from 1998 to 2003. In October 2000 Hämäläinen spoke at the

Institute of International and European Affairs The Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA; ) is an Irish policy think tank focusing on European and international policy trends based in Dublin, Ireland. It is known for its seminars and speaking events which attract notable int ...

Board member

From 1986 to 1992 Hämäläinen served on Supervisory Board of the Huhtamaki and from 1987 to 1990 she was a member of the Executive Board at the Finnish Cultural Foundation's Supporting Society. Hämäläinen was then promoted to Board of Directors and then to its Supervisory Board at which she served until 1992 and 2005 respectively. She also served at the Board of Business Education Fund in 1989 and was a Chairman of the Board of the Consumer Research Center from 1990 to 1996. Hämäläinen had also served on many Delegation Boards. In 1994 she served as a Delegation Member of the

Savonlinna Opera Festival Savonlinna Opera Festival () is held annually in the city of Savonlinna in Finland. The Festival takes place at the medieval Olavinlinna (St. Olaf's Castle), built in 1475. The castle is located amid spectacular lake scenery. Origin The birth ...

while being a Chairman of the Risto Ryti Delegation. A year later, she served on Delegation Boards of Valamo Foundation and Stiftelsen Åbo Akademie and from 1995 to 2006 she was a member of the

Trilateral Commission The Trilateral Commission is a nongovernmental international organization aimed at fostering closer cooperation between Japan, Western Europe and North America. It was founded in July 1973, principally by American banker and philanthropist David ...

. Between 1997 and 2000 she served as Chairman and then as a Director of the Raging Roses Association. In 2004 Sirkka Hämäläinen joined Board Professionals Association and the same year was promoted to its board of directors. While serving to various corporate organizations, Hämäläinen was a Chairman of the Board of the Finnish Chamber Orchestra from 2004 to 2008 and until 2009 she served on the Helsinki School of Economics Advisory Board. Sirkka Hämäläinen returned to her alma mater and served as Vice Chairman of the Board of the

Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture; ; ), was formed of two separate schools: the faculty of architecture (previously part of the Helsinki University of Technology) and the University of Art and Design Helsinki (UIAH, known in ...

from 2012 to 2014.

Personal life

From 1961 to 1995, Sirkka Hämäläinen was married to Lieutenant Colonel Arvo Alpo Ossian. Together they had two children, Salla Johanna (born 1964) and Jonni Tero (born 1969). In 1999 she married Bo Erik Johan Lindfors.

Honors

*Honorary doctorate,

Åbo Akademi University Åbo Akademi University ( , ) is the only exclusively Swedish language multi-faculty university in Finland (or anywhere outside Sweden). It is located mainly in Turku (Åbo is the Swedish name of the city) but has also activities in Vaasa. Å ...

(1995) *Chairman of the Risto Ryti Society (1994-2001) *Member of Real Academia de Ciencias Económicas y Financieras, Spain. *

Order of the White Star The Order of the White Star (; ) was instituted in 1936. The Order of the White Star is bestowed on Estonian citizens and foreigners to give recognition for services rendered to the Estonian state. Design Classes The Order of the White Star ...

Order of the White Rose of Finland The Order of the White Rose of Finland (; ) is one of three official orders in Finland, along with the Order of the Cross of Liberty, and the Order of the Lion of Finland. The President of Finland is the Grand Master of all three orders. The ...

Sources

*Flitner, Bettina: ''Frauen mit Visionen – 48 Europäerinnen (Women with visions – 48 Europeans)''. With texts by

Alice Schwarzer Alice Sophie Schwarzer (born 3 December 1942) is a German journalist and prominent feminist. She is founder and publisher of the German feminist journal '' EMMA''. Beginning in France, she became a forerunner of feminist positions against anti-ab ...

. Munich: Knesebeck, 2004. , p. 104–107.

References

External links

Sirkka Hämäläinen photographed by Bettina Flitner