Ambassador of Finland to the United States Mikko Hautala welcomed attendees to Day 2 of the general session at Quantum World Congress 2023.

Mikko Hautala became Ambassador of Finland to the United States in September 2020. Prior to that (2016-2020), he served as Ambassador of Finland to Russia. In 2012-2016 Ambassador Hautala worked as Foreign Policy Adviser to the President of the Republic of Finland. In 2011, he was appointed Deputy Head of Mission to Embassy of Finland to Russia, located in Moscow. Ambassador Hautala has also served as the Diplomatic Advisor the to Minister for Foreign Affairs (2007-2011) as well as the First Secretary at the Permanent Representation of Finland to the EU in Brussels (2002-2007). In the beginning of his career, he has served as Attaché at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Helsinki (2001-2002) and as Attaché at the Embassy of Finland in Kyiv, Ukraine (1998-2001). He joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland in 2001. In August 2020, Hautala was awarded (“Ambassador Prize”) by the Confederation of Finnish Industries for his excellent work in promoting the interests of Finnish companies in Russia. During his career, he has received several civil and military decorations both nationally and internationally. Ambassador Hautala was born in 1972 in Seinäjoki, Finland. He studied at the Helsinki University. He holds degrees in Master of Political Science (M.Pol.Sc) and Master of Philosophy (MPhil), both from the same University. He currently holds the military rank of captain. Ambassador Hautala is, in addition to the native Finnish, fluent in English, Swedish, Russian, Ukrainian and Polish. He likes to read and think. He is married to Heli Hautala, who is also a career diplomat. They have two sons.