Juhani Damski to be Director-General of the Finnish Meteorological Institute

On 20 August 2015 the Government appointed Mr Juhani Damski, Doctor of Philosophy, Director-General of the Finnish Meteorological Institute. His term of office will be for the duration of Director-General Petteri Taalas's leave of absence, from 1 January 2016 until 31 December 2019.

Before his current position as Director of the Development Unit at the Administration Department of the Ministry of Transport and Communications Mr Damski worked as Director of the Weather and Safety Division at the Finnish Meteorological Institute, which he joined in 1987.

"The Finnish Meteorological Institute is an international success story. It's success is based on world class research, continuous capacity development and services which have been created to meet customers' needs", Juhani Damski says. "I want to continue to develop this story. There is a growing need for the information and services the FMI provides due to e.g. climate change and digitalization of the society."

The present Director-General of the Finnish Meteorological Institute, Mr Petteri Taalas, will take up his post as Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) in the beginning of 2016.

The Finnish Meteorological Institute is a service and research agency that provides weather, sea and climate services for ensuring public safety and satisfying the requirements of business and industry. The Finnish Meteorological Institute employs around 720 people.

Further information:

Juhani Damski, juhani.damski@lvm.fi; tel. 0295 34 2500Petteri Taalas, petteri.taalas@fmi.fi, tel. 029 539 2200