Timo Kantola has concluded his term as Finland’s Consul General in Hong Kong and Macao after four years in the position.
Kantola took up the post in September 2022. Before moving to Hong Kong, he served as Finland’s Ambassador to Estonia and held several senior positions at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
In a farewell interview published by the Finnish Consulate General, Kantola reflected on his experiences in Hong Kong and some of his favourite activities in the city.
He will be succeeded by Juha Niemi, who formally takes up the position on 1 September 2026.
Niemi most recently served as Deputy Director General of the Finnish Foreign Ministry’s Department for Asia and Oceania, a position he had held since 2024.
His previous assignments include diplomatic postings at Finland’s Permanent Mission in Geneva and its embassies in Tokyo and Pretoria. He has also worked as a diplomatic adviser to Finland’s Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade.
Niemi joined Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 2001.
Sources: Finnish Consulate General in Hong Kong & Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs
