67 Notable alumni of
Aalto University
Updated:
Aalto University is 767th in the world, 272nd in Europe, and 3rd in Finland by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 67 notable alumni from Aalto University sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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Renny Harlin
- Enrolled in Aalto University
- Studied in 1978-1981
- Occupations
- screenwriterfilm directorcamera operatorreality television participantactor
- Biography
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Renny Harlin is a Finnish film director, producer, and screenwriter who has worked in Hollywood, Europe, and China. His best-known films include A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger, The Long Kiss Goodnight, and Deep Blue Sea.
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Jorma Ollila
- Occupations
- businesspersoneconomistbusiness executiveentrepreneurmerchant
- Biography
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Jorma Jaakko Ollila is a Finnish businessman who was chairman of Royal Dutch Shell from 1 June 2006 to May 2015, and at Nokia Corporation chairman from 1999 to 2012 and CEO from 1992 to 2006. He has been a director of Otava Books and Magazines Group Ltd. since 1996 and UPM-Kymmene since 1997, and an advisory partner at Perella Weinberg Partners, a New York–based boutique investment bank founded by Joseph R. Perella and Peter Weinberg in 2006.
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Elina Valtonen
- Enrolled in Aalto University
- Studied in 2005
- Occupations
- politicianbanker
- Biography
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Elina Maria Valtonen is a Finnish politician who has served as Minister for Foreign Affairs under Prime Minister Petteri Orpo since 2023. A member of the National Coalition Party (NCP), she has represented the constituency of Uusimaa in the Parliament of Finland since 2014. In the 2021 municipal election she collected the second-highest number of votes in Helsinki and was elected a member of its city council.
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Dome Karukoski
- Enrolled in Aalto University
- Studied in 2005
- Occupations
- screenwriterfilm directorfilm actor
- Biography
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Thomas August George Dome Karukoski is a Finnish film director. He has won over 30 festival awards and having directed six feature films that became blockbusters in his home country and also received international recognition.
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Mauri Kunnas
- Occupations
- voice actorgraphic designerwritercartoonistchildren's writer
- Biography
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Mauri Tapio Kunnas is a Finnish cartoonist and children's author.
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Timo Sarpaneva
- Occupations
- glass artistsculptordesigner
- Biography
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Timo Tapani Sarpaneva was an influential Finnish designer, sculptor, and educator best known in the art world for innovative work in glass, which often merged attributes of display art objects with utilitarian designations. While glass remained his most commonly addressed medium, he worked with metal, wood, textiles, and porcelain (china). Sarpaneva has entered homes around the world through his industrial design of upscale, artistically conceived items, including cast-iron cookware and porcelain dinnerware. His work was among the key components that helped to launch Finland's reputation as a trailblazer of design.
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Eero Aarnio
- Occupations
- furniture designerdesignerarchitect
- Biography
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Eero Aarnio is a Finnish designer, noted for his innovative furniture designs in the 1960s, such as his plastic and fibreglass chairs. He was born in Helsinki.
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Armi Ratia
- Occupations
- businesspersondesigner
- Biography
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Armi Maria Ratia née Airaksinen was the co-founder of the Finnish textile and clothing company Marimekko Oy. She is among Finland's most famous female entrepreneurs. She was born in Pälkjärvi in Ladoga Karelia. For a detailed biographical article in the context of her Marimekko company, see The National Biography of Finland entry.
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Kaj Chydenius
- Enrolled in Aalto University
- Studied in 1957
- Occupations
- composerpoliticiansinger
- Biography
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Kaj Oskar Chydenius was a Finnish musician and composer, probably best known for his left-wing political songs interpreted by various artists.
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Harri Heliövaara
- Occupations
- tennis player
- Biography
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Harri Heliövaara is a Finnish professional tennis player. He has been ranked by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) as high as world No. 4 in doubles, which he first achieved on 27 January 2025. He also attained his career-high singles ranking of world No. 194 in December 2011. Heliövaara is a three-time Grand Slam champion in both doubles, at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships and at the 2025 Australian Open with Henry Patten and in mixed doubles at the 2023 US Open with Anna Danilina. He has won ten career titles on the ATP Tour.
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Linda Liukas
- Enrolled in Aalto University
- Studied in 2009
- Occupations
- children's writerprogrammerteacherillustratororator
- Biography
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Linda Liukas is a Finnish children's book author, illustrator and an instructor for beginner programmers. In 2014, her Hello Ruby coding book for children raised $380,000 on Kickstarter becoming the platform's most highly funded children's book.
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Esa Saarinen
- Occupations
- business coachmusicianuniversity teachernon-fiction writerphilosopher
- Biography
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Esa Jouni Olavi Saarinen is a Finnish philosopher who was a professor of applied philosophy at Aalto University and co-director of the Systems Intelligence Research Group, until his retirement in 2021.
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Maija Isola
- Occupations
- fashion designertextile artisttextile designerpainterdesigner
- Biography
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Maija Sofia Isola was a Finnish designer of printed textiles, and the creator of over 500 patterns, including Unikko ("Poppy"). The bold, colourful prints she created as the head designer of Marimekko made the Finnish company famous in the 1960s. She also had a successful career as a visual artist.
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Kaj Franck
- Occupations
- visual artisttextile artistuniversity teacherdesignerglass artist
- Biography
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Kaj Gabriel Franck was one of the leading figures of Finnish design and an influential figure in design and applied arts between 1940 and 1980.
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Klaus Härö
- Enrolled in Aalto University
- Studied film directing and screenwriting
- Occupations
- film directorscreenwriter
- Biography
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Klaus Härö is a Finnish film director. In 2004, he won Finland's State Prize for Art.
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Johanna Vuoksenmaa
- Occupations
- photographerscreenwritertelevision directorfilm directorlyricist
- Biography
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Johanna Vuoksenmaa is a Finnish television and film director and screenwriter who has also worked as a photographer, installation artist and a teacher. Her films have been shown at numerous film festivals around the world and she has won many Finnish film and television awards for directing and screenwriting. As a director and screenwriter, Vuoksenmaa prefers the comedy genre because to her comedy means relief, forgiveness and defense. She does not use casting agencies but prefers to cast actors to her films herself, since she thinks that it creates a level of trust between the actor and the director.
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Mārtiņš Staķis
- Occupations
- businesspersonpolitician
- Biography
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Mārtiņš Staķis is a Latvian politician and businessman, Mayor of Riga from 2020 to 2023. He served as a deputy of the 13th Saeima, the Latvian parliament, until he resigned on 5 June 2020. On 29 August 2020, Staķis was elected to the Riga City Council, and on 2 October, elected Mayor of Riga.
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Sirpa Pietikäinen
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Sirpa Pietikäinen is a Finnish politician and Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Finland. She is a former member of the National Coalition Party, part of the European People's Party.
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Pertti Salolainen
- Enrolled in Aalto University
- Studied in 1969
- Occupations
- politicianjournalistdiplomat
- Biography
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Pertti Edvard Salolainen CBE is a Finnish politician. He has served as MP from the National Coalition Party (1970–1996, 2007–2019) and party chairman (1991–1994) and Minister (1987–1995).
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Oiva Toikka
- Occupations
- glassblowerceramicistdesigner
- Biography
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Oiva Kalervo Toikka was a Finnish glass designer, best known for his designs for Iittala.
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Lauri Törhönen
- Enrolled in Aalto University
- Studied in 1976
- Occupations
- politicianwriterfilm directortelevision director
- Biography
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Lauri Ilmari Törhönen is a Finnish film director. He has directed 13 feature films including Tropic of Ice. He worked in Warren Beatty's Reds as the second assistant director, as well as in Gorky Park by Michael Apted.
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Markku Pölönen
- Enrolled in Aalto University
- Studied in 1979-1982
- Occupations
- film directorscreenwriter
- Biography
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Markku Tapani Pölönen is a Finnish film director, screenwriter, and editor; and the owner of film production company Suomen Filmiteollisuus. Pölönen's best known work is the 2004 film Dog Nail Clipper — written and directed by Pölönen — which was honoured in five categories at the 2005 Jussi Awards (Finland's premier film awards) including Best Direction and Best Script and which film critic Jay Weissberg from Variety called Pölönen's "most mature work to date". Pölönen has received numerous additional Jussi awards, including best picture and best screenplay for Onnen Maa (1994); best picture and best director for Kivenpyörittäjän kylä (1995); and best picture, best director, and best screenplay for A Summer by the River (1999) Pölönen has also been nominated for two other Jussis that he did not win. Finally, many of Pölönen's films have earned best actor and best actress awards, as well.
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Kaisa Korhonen
- Enrolled in Aalto University
- Studied in 1961-1965
- Occupations
- film directorsingeractorplaywrightwriter
- Biography
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Kaisa Korhonen was a Finnish theatre director, actor, singer and dramaturge. She was a central figure in the Finnish leftist music scene of the 1960s and 1970s, appearing both as a solo artist, and with KOM-teatteri. After her singing career, Korhonen became an accomplished director and teacher of theatre directing.
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Teuvo Kohonen
- Occupations
- engineeruniversity teachercomputer scientist
- Biography
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Teuvo Kalevi Kohonen was a Finnish computer scientist. He was professor emeritus of the Academy of Finland.
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Satu Hassi
- Occupations
- writerpoliticianuniversity teacher
- Biography
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Satu Maijastiina Hassi is a Finnish politician, and former Member of the European Parliament for the Green League. She served as the Minister of Environment and Development Co-Operation in Paavo Lipponen's second cabinet between 15 April 1999 and 31 May 2002. In accordance with her party's position on the issue, she quit the cabinet in protest of the government's decision to build a fifth nuclear power plant in Finland. Hassi served as the leader of her party between 1999 and 2001. She was a member of the national parliament from 1991 to 2004; she left the parliament when she was elected to the European Parliament as the sole Finnish Green representative in the 2004 election.
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Ilmari Tapiovaara
- Occupations
- artistdesigner
- Biography
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Yrjö Ilmari Tapiovaara was a Finnish designer noted for his furnishings and textiles.
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Heidi Blomstedt
- Occupations
- ceramicistdesigner
- Biography
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Heidi Kristina Blomstedt was a Finnish designer.
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Matti Alahuhta
- Occupations
- businesspersonmanager
- Biography
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Matti Juhani Alahuhta was the President & CEO of KONE Corporation (2005–2014). Earlier he worked 26 years at Nokia Corporation and was Member of Nokia's Executive Board from 1993 to 2004. He is Chairman of the Board of DevCo Partners Oy. He is also Member of the Board of Directors of Kone Corporation (2003-) and AB Volvo (2014-).
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Sari Multala
- Enrolled in Aalto University
- Studied in 2005
- Occupations
- sailorpolitician
- Biography
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Sari Multala is a Finnish Olympic sailor, politician, member of Parliament of Finland and cabinet minister.
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Jussi Pajunen
- Occupations
- civil servantpolitician
- Biography
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Jussi Ilmari Pajunen is a Finnish politician of the National Coalition Party and former city manager of Helsinki.
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Piia-Noora Kauppi
- Occupations
- juristpolitician
- Biography
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Piia-Noora Kauppi is a Finnish former politician who currently serves as the managing director of the Federation of Finnish Financial Services. She served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) of the European People's Party from 1999 to 2008.
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Atte Harjanne
- Occupations
- climatologistpolitician
- Biography
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Atte Erik Harjanne is a Finnish politician currently serving in the Parliament of Finland for the Green League at the Helsinki constituency.
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Rut Bryk
- Occupations
- ceramicistdesignertextile artist
- Biography
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Linnea Rut Bryk was a Finnish ceramist. Through her printmaking, textile design and ceramics, she successfully blurred the lines between art, craft and design. She is considered a key reformer of modern Finnish ceramic art.
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Lenita Toivakka
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Lenita Anneli Toivakka is a Finnish politician and a member of National Coalition Party.
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Emma Terho
- Occupations
- financial adviserice hockey playersports executive
- Biography
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Emma Kristiina Laaksonen Terho is a Finnish ice hockey executive, retired defenceman and the current Chair of the IOC Athletes' Commission. She previously served as general manager of Kiekko-Espoo Naiset in the Naisten Liiga. At the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano she became the youngest Winter Olympian to medal for Finland, winning a bronze medal at the age of 16 years 54 days.
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Eero Nelimarkka
- Occupations
- painter
- Biography
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Eero Aleksander Nelimarkka was a Finnish painter. He is best known for depicting the flat landscapes of Ostrobothnia known as lakeus but he also produced portraits of notable Finns and family members.
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Birger Kaipiainen
- Occupations
- ceramicistdesigner
- Biography
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Birger Johannes Kaipiainen was a Finnish ceramist and designer. He is one of the most successful and well-known ceramic artists in Finland.
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Pia Kauma
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Pia Liisa Kauma is a Finnish politician, who serves as a Member of the Finnish parliament. She also serves as a member of the City Council of Espoo, representing the National Coalition Party. Kauma is also a member of the Finnish delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and currently serves as the president of the organization.
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Ulla Procopé
- Occupations
- ceramicistdesigner
- Biography
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Ulrika Eleonora Matilda Procopé-Nyman (1921–1968) was a Finnish designer of ceramics. Procopé was one of the most prolific Finnish ceramic designers of the Golden Age of Finnish Design. Her designs were produced at large scale by the Arabia company in Finland.
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Ismo Sajakorpi
- Enrolled in Aalto University
- Studied in 1965-1969
- Occupations
- screenwritertelevision directortheatrical directorplaywrightentertainer
- Biography
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Ismo Sajakorpi is a Finnish television writer, screen writer and television director.
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Helena Tynell
- Occupations
- designer
- Biography
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Hellin Helena Tynell was a notable Finnish glass designer who has been described as a pioneer of Finnish glass art.
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Jalmari Ruokokoski
- Occupations
- painter
- Biography
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Joel Jalmari Ruokokoski, known as Jali was a Finnish Expressionist painter. Although most of his works were landscapes and still-lifes, he is probably best known for a series of portraits (including numerous self-portraits) painted mostly during the 1910s. Although Ruokokoski never officially joined the November Group, (Marraskuun ryhmä), he participated in the galleries set up by the group.
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Taneli Tikka
- Occupations
- bloggerbusinessperson
- Biography
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Taneli Tikka is a Finnish technology serial entrepreneur, and a keynote speaker in Finnish and International events.
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Viola Gråsten
- Enrolled in Aalto University
- Studied in 1932-1936
- Occupations
- textile artistdesignertextile designerartist
- Biography
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Viola Hildegard Gråsten was a Swedish textile designer.
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Gunnel Nyman
- Occupations
- glass artistdesigner
- Biography
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Gunnel Nyman was a Finnish glass and metal artist, and one of the founders of modern Finnish glass design. She was also a proponent of early mass-produced glassware. Nyman's glassware is exhibited in museums internationally.
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Kaija Aarikka
- Occupations
- designertextile artist
- Biography
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Kaija Helena Aarikka-Ruokonen was a Finnish designer and entrepreneur.
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Birger Carlstedt
- Occupations
- painter
- Biography
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John Birger Jarl Carlstedt was a Finnish painter and a pioneer of Modern Art in Finland. His painting style went through various changes, with influences from Impressionism, Expressionism, Futurism and abstract art.
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Heikki Orvola
- Occupations
- artistglassblowerdesigner
- Biography
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Heikki Orvola is a Finnish designer and planner. He started his career as a designer in the 1960s. In 1968, he started to work at the Nuutajärvi glassworks. In 1972, he designed the Aurora set of glasses for Iittala. With Fujiwo Ishimoto he designed the Illusia tableware for Arabia Ceramics Factory.
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Mike Pohjola
- Occupations
- writerscreenwriterrole-playing game designer
- Biography
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Mikko "Mike" Pohjola is a Finnish playwright, novelist, and game designer. He is the author of Sinä vuonna 1928, 1827, Maailman hauskin, Myrskyn aika, Star Wreck Roleplaying Game, Tähti, Kadonneet kyyneleet, Ihmisen poika, and Age of the Tempest. He is also the narrative designer and main writer of the Agemonia board game.
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Lisa Johansson-Pape
- Occupations
- designer
- Biography
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Carin Lisa Johansson-Pape née Johansson was a Finnish designer, best known for her work in lighting. She was the most significant Finnish lighting designer in the second half of the 1900s. Her priorities were first about the functions then the design.
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Ukri Merikanto
- Occupations
- sculptorvisual artistteacher
- Biography
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Ukri Uolevi Merikanto was a Finnish sculptor.
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Jarmo Lampela
- Enrolled in Aalto University
- Studied in 1987-1992
- Occupations
- film directorscreenwriter
- Biography
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Jarmo Lampela is a Finnish film director and screenwriter. He has directed more than 15 films since 1988. His 2003 film Eila was entered into the 25th Moscow International Film Festival. In 2013 he is scheduled to direct a new film Werther.
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Dora Jung
- Occupations
- designertextile artist
- Biography
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Dora Elisabet Jung was textile artist, craftswoman, and industrial designer from Finland. Her career lasted five decades. She designed products and works of art made out of linen which can be found in homes, churches, and public buildings. She was known for her expertise in designing woven damask fabrics with abstract motifs.
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Michael Schilkin
- Occupations
- ceramicistvisual artistsculptordesigner
- Biography
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Michael Schilkin was a Russian-born ceramist who is best known for having worked in the art department of Arabia.
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Wilhelm Wahlforss
- Occupations
- entrepreneurengineer
- Biography
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Emil Wilhelm Wahlforss was a Finnish engineer, industrialist and vuorineuvos.
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Åke Hellman
- Enrolled in Aalto University
- Studied in 1934-1938
- Occupations
- painter
- Biography
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Åke Fredrik Hellman was a Swedish-speaking Finnish still life and portrait artist and art professor. He worked as art teacher at the University of Helsinki. In 1963, he received the order of the Lion of Finland.
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Kaj Arnö
- Occupations
- businesspersonprogrammercolumnist
- Biography
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Kaj Sigurd Ademar Arnö is a Finland-Swedish IT-entrepreneur and columnist. He is since 2016 (also) a German citizen and has lived in Germany since 2006. He is the former Vice President of the MySQL Community at MySQL AB, Sun Microsystems and Oracle Corporation, founder of MariaDB Corporation Ab and the current CEO of the MariaDB Foundation.
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Kari Huhtamo
- Enrolled in Aalto University
- Studied in 1961-1963
- Occupations
- visual artistsculptor
- Biography
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Kari Huhtamo was a Finnish sculptor. He was born in Rovaniemi, Finland. He studied at the School of Industrial Art and the School of the Finnish Art Academy 1961–1964 and lived and worked in Helsinki since 1961.
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Michaela Pejzlová
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Michaela "Míša" Pejzlová is a Czech ice hockey player and member of the Czech national team. She is signed with the Hockey Club Ambrì-Piotta Girls (HCAP Girls) of the Swiss Women's League (SWHL A) for the 2024–25 season. Her collegiate career was played with the Clarkson Golden Knights of ECAC Hockey, with whom she twice won the NCAA Championship.
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Kirsti Ilvessalo
- Occupations
- designertextile artist
- Biography
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Kirsti Ilvessalo was a Finnish textile artist, best known for her ryijy. She received awards at the Triennale di Milano (1951, 1954, 1960), and the Order of the Lion of Finland (1979).
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Yrjö Sotamaa
- Years
- 1942-.. (age 83)
- Enrolled in Aalto University
- Studied in 1983
- Occupations
- professorinterior designeruniversity teacher
- Biography
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Yrjö Kalervo Sotamaa is a Finnish designer and design strategist. Sotamaa is Professor Emeritus of Design Innovation in the Aalto University School of Art, Design and Architecture and President Emeritus of the University of Art and Design Helsinki (TAIK). He served as the president of TAIK from 1986 until 2008. He earned his MA in Interior Architecture and Furniture Design from TAIK, where he studied with Kaj Franck and Antti Nurmesniemi.
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Kyllikki Salmenhaara
- Occupations
- visual artistceramicist
- Biography
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Kyllikki Salmenhaara was a Finnish ceramicist, and one of the leading ceramic artists and designers of the post-war period internationally.
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Ulla Puolanne
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Ulla Kaija Puolanne was a Finnish politician who served as Deputy Minister of Finance from 1987 to 1991. Born in Lahti, she graduated from the Helsinki School of Economics in 1954 and afterwards worked in finance in an engineering office. Puolanne first got involved in politics in 1969 when she was elected to Lahti City Council. Six years later she was elected to the Parliament of Finland in the 1975 elections as a member of the National Coalition Party. She served as a member of Parliament until 1991, and was primarily part of the Banking and Finance Committees.
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Henry Ericsson
- Occupations
- graphic artistdesignerpainter
- Biography
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Carl August Henry Ericsson, was a Finnish graphic artist and decorative painter.
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Raija Jokinen
- Years
- 1960-.. (age 65)
- Occupations
- visual artisttextile artist
- Biography
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Raija Jokinen is a Finnish visual artist and textile designer. Jokinen lives and works in Helsinki and Sipoo.
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Jaakko Honko
- Occupations
- professoreconomist
- Biography
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Jaakko Honko was a Finnish business economist, Professor at the Helsinki School of Economics, and its rector for many years.
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Bertel Bertel-Nordström
- Occupations
- painter
- Biography
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Engelbert Bertel-Nordström was a Swedish painter. His work was part of the painting event in the art competition at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
