Mika Hakanen has taken on a new role as vice president of international sustainment at Patria. Hakanen, who announced the move in a LinkedIn post on Tuesday, will oversee the Finnish defense and security tech firm’s operations in Belgium, the Netherlands and Sweden. He will also continue to support Patria’s sustainment efforts in Norway and Denmark, particularly in Nordic maintenance, repair and overhaul and strategic partnerships.
Hakanen returns to Patria after over six years at Kongsberg Aviation Maintenance Services, where he served as vice president of business concepts and industrial cooperation and as director of its helicopter business. He started at Patria as a system engineer in 2009 before becoming the NH90 program manager from 2015 to 2019.
His appointment follows other recent leadership changes at Patria. Päivi Lindqvist, former finance lead of local machinery firm Glaston, joined Patria as chief financial officer and member of the group management team in March. Additionally, Seppo Kolehmainen, who recently retired as Finland’s national police commissioner, became vice president for public safety in January.
Patria, partly owned by the Finnish state and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS, offers technology solutions, with expertise in armored wheeled vehicles, mortar systems and various life cycle support services for aircraft and helicopters.