Olli-Pekka Heinonen
Director General, International Baccalaureate
Olli-Pekka Heinonen started his tenure as the eighth Director General of the International Baccalaureate (IB) in May 2021. Between 2017 and 2021, he served as the Director General of the Finnish National Agency for Education, with responsibilities including developing education and training, early childhood education and lifelong learning. The Agency also prepares education policy decisions and supports the development and promotion of internationalisation within the Finnish education system. Prior to leading the National Agency for Education, he held various positions in the Finnish Government, including State Secretary between 2012–2016 and Minister of Education and Science between 1994–1999. He also held various senior commercial roles in the Finnish National Broadcasting Company between 2002–2012. He is actively engaged with the OECD and other international organisations, with a focus on the future of education, including personalised and lifelong learning, the impact of technology and the development of educators. He has a Master of Laws from the University of Helsinki.