NewsRoom Finland, 25/6/2008

The Federation of Finnish Financial Services said in a statement Wednesday it had named Piia-Noora Kauppi, a Euro-MP for the National Coalition party, its chief executive.

Ms Kauppi is to start in the new job at the beginning of next year.

"I have enjoyed working with financial affairs at the European Parliament very much," she said in the statement.

"Now in my new position I can make use of the experience gained from EU-level legislation on financial markets. The financial sector will play a more and more important role in the internal market in the future."

Ms Kauppi's career move means Eva-Riitta Siitonen, a former mayor of Helsinki, is to take over the seat in Brussels and Strasbourg.