Kela's Management Team

Kela’s Management Team handles matters that will be presented to the Board and is responsible for implementing Kela’s strategy in line with the directives and decisions of the Board.

Chair: Lasse Lehtonen, Director General

Lasse Lehtonen.

Director General Lasse Lehtonen will be absent until May 31, 2026. He will be replaced by Director Kari-Pekka Mäki-Lohiluoma.

The Director General is responsible for strategic management, planning and operational development. The Director General also brings matters before the Board and implements the Board’s decisions. Furthermore, the Director General prepares Kela’s rules of procedure. The rules of procedure are decided on by Kela’s Board.

Strategic Management Unit, Communications Unit and Kela's Internal Audit report directly to the Director General.

Assistant: Katriina Nikkanen
Email address: firstname.surname@kela.fi

Deputy chairs

Kari-Pekka Mäki-Lohiluoma, Director, Deputy Director General

Kari-Pekka Mäki-Lohiluoma.

Director Mäki-Lohiluoma's areas of responsibility include the Benefit Services, Customer Relations and Information Services business units. He is responsible for the directing and planning of matters related to these business units.

Kari-Pekka Mäki-Lohiluoma is currently serving as Deputy Director General. Sari Hänninen, Director of the Unit for Nationwide Customer Service, acts as his deputy until 31 May 2026.

Assistant: Riitta Haahti
Email address: firstname.surname@kela.fi

Nina Nissilä, Director

Nina Nissilä.

Director Nissilä’s areas of responsibility include responsibility include IT and Security Services and Shared Services business units. She is responsible for the directing and planning of matters related to these business units.

Assistant: Riitta Haahti
Email address: firstname.surname@kela.fi

Members of Kela's Management Team

Jukka Helin, Director of Shared Services

Jukka Helin.

Sari Hänninen, Director, Unit for Nationwide Customer Service

Sari Hänninen is deputising for Director Kari-Pekka Mäki-Lohiluoma. Antti Jussila, Director of the Unit for Local Customer Service, acts as her deputy until 31 May 2026.

Sari Hänninen.

Assistant: Riitta Haahti
Email address: firstname.surname@kela.fi

Antti Jussila, Director, Unit for Local Customer Service

Antti Jussila is deputising for Sari Hänninen, Director of the Unit for Nationwide Customer Service. Petteri Taponen, Director of Kela’s Customer Service Unit, acts as his deputy until 31 May 2026.

Antti Jussila.