Prior to assuming this position in March 2020 ambassador Vilen served as a Senior Advisor in Arctic policy matters in the IDEA, the in-house think tank of the European Commission serving Commission president. Ambassador Vilén has also served as Finnish ambassador to Hungary and Poland, EU ambassador to Council of Europe and his career included two terms as a Member of Finnish parliament and minister of European Affairs in the Finnish government. Ambassador Vilén is from Lapland himself and has worked extensive with Nordic and Arctic matters in his previous career. Ambassador Vilén hold Master of Education Degree from University of Oulu and he has studied EU politics in the Trinity College, Dublin.