Nina Suomalainen

Thematic expertise: Conflict prevention and early warning, rule of law & justice institutions, national minorities, political parties & parliaments, communications, strategic leadership.

Regional/country-specific expertise: South East and Eastern Europe, OSCE region, Middle East (Palestinian territories), Rwanda, Sierra Leone.

Languages: Fluent/working knowledge: English, Swedish, French. Good understanding: German. Basic skills: Russian, Bosnian, Spanish. Mother tongue: Finnish

Nina Suomalainen is an international conflict management professional. She has over 25 years of professional experience in political processes, strategic management, dialogue facilitation and communications and rule of law and justice in international post-conflict contexts.

In 2018-2022 Ms Suomalainen served as Executive Director of Justice Rapid Response in Geneva with focus on expertise for investigations of war crimes and human rights violations and for transitional justice processes. From 2015 to 2018, she served as Head of Mission at OSCE Mission to Skopje, leading a field operation of 150 staff focusing on inter-ethnic relations, early warning and conflict prevention. Previously she has served as Deputy Head of OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Senior Manager on Western Balkans at CMI Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, Senior Adviser to the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Senior Development Policy Adviser at Finn Church Aid and Adviser to Director of OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). She has also led long-term election observation missions for the ODIHR in Montenegro and Bulgaria in 2022 and 2023.

Ms Suomalainen serves as an elected City Councillor in Helsinki since 2021 and she holds several Board positions in the Helsinki City Group companies and foundations.

Ms Suomalainen graduated in 1993 with Master of Political Science degree from Åbo Akademi University based in Turku, where she studied International Law and Economics. She has also studied communications, creative writing and music technology.