The appointment of Jouni Punnonen takes effect on 8 August.Punnonen holds a master’s degree in engineering. He previously worked as Corporate Relations Manager at Teollisuuden Voima, before which he served as the chief energy policy adviser for the Confederation of Finnish Industries.“Jouni Punnonen is very experienced in the handling of energy- and climate-related affairs and associated lobbying. He is knowledgeable in the effective wielding of influence in related matters on both the national and the EU level,” says Timo Jaatinen, Director General of the Finnish Forest Industries Federation.“Finland and the EU must implement energy and climate policy in a way that strengthens the forest industry’s competitiveness. Finland must lower its energy taxes, for example, to match the level prevailing in our competitor countries. This should be done without delay,” Jouni Punnonen says.The present Energy and Infrastructure Director of the Finnish Forest Industries Federation, Stefan Sundman, has been appointed Vice President, Corporate Relations and Development for Energy and Forest Businesses at UPM, as of 1 September.