Jarmo Sareva

Jarmo Sareva is Finland’s Ambassador for Creative Industries, a position he has held since September 2026. In this role, he focuses on strengthening the international growth and export potential of Finland’s creative industries and helping Finnish creative-industry companies expand into global markets.

Mr. Sareva brings a wealth of experience to his work from both multilateral and bilateral diplomacy. From September 2022 to August 2026, he served as Consul General of Finland in New York. Prior to his appointment in New York, he served in Helsinki as Finland’s Ambassador for Cyber Affairs from 2021 to 2022 and as Finland’s first Ambassador for Innovation from 2018 to 2021. From 2006 to 2018, he served in various positions at the UN in New York and Geneva, including as Director of the Geneva Branch of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs and Director of the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR).

Mr. Sareva’s previous diplomatic experience includes serving as Director for Arms Control, Disarmament and Non-Proliferation in Helsinki and as Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Finland to the UN in New York, as well as postings in Moscow, Washington, D.C., and Vienna.

Mr. Sareva is passionate about Finland’s creative talent and about building the international networks, partnerships and commercial opportunities needed to turn that talent into successful global business. He is also committed to promoting Finnish culture and strengthening Finland’s country brand internationally.

Mr. Sareva holds an M.A. from the School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University in Washington. He is married with two children and two grandchildren.