President Martti Ahtisaari
About Us

Board of Directors

President Martti Ahtisaari

Director at Large

Martti Ahtisaari received the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize for his important efforts on several continents over the past 30 years to resolve international conflicts.

He was elected as President of the Republic of Finland in 1994 and held the position until 2000. Previously, Mr. Ahtisaari held various positions in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland including under-secretary of state in charge of international development co-operation and secretary of state. He served as the special representative of the secretary-general for Namibia from 1978 to 1990 and became the under-secretary general for administration and management in 1987. Currently, he serves as director at large with ImagineNations.

In 2000 upon leaving office as President of the Republic of Finland, Mr. Ahtisaari founded a non-governmental organization called Crisis Management Initiative, where he serves as chairman of the Board. Other post-presidential activities have included facilitating the peace process between the Government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement, chairing an independent panel on the security and safety of UN personnel in Iraq and appointments as the UN special envoy for the Horn of Africa and personal envoy of the OSCE CiO for Central Asia. From November 2005 until March 2008, Ahtisaari served as the special envoy of the secretary-general of the United Nations for the future status process for Kosovo.

President Ahtisaari serves as chairman of the Balkan Children and Youth Foundation, as well as of the Governing Council of Interpeace. In addition he is member of the Board of the EastWest Institute.

In Finland, President Ahtisaari is active on the corporate governing board of Elcoteq SE. He is also a member of Independent Consultative Group on the Past, seeking a consensus across the community in Northern Ireland on the best way to deal with the legacy of the past.