Mr Raimo JYVÄSJÄRVI, Director General, Resource Policy Department of the Finnish Ministry of Defence and Finnish National Armaments Director was born in 1956 in the Municipality of Mänttä in Finland.

Already at a young age, he decided to become an officer and after having performed his basic military service with success, he applied for admission to the Military Academy and later on to the War College.

Before his graduation from the War College, which took place in 1989, Raimo Jyväsjärvi attended a UN Military Observer Course and later on served at UNDOF Finnish Battalion Headquarters in Al-Quneitra in the Golan Heights.

Since then Raimo Jyväsjärvi has held numerous positions in the Finnish Defence Forces such as Commanding Officer of the Artillery Reconnaissance Battalion, Commanding Officer of the Artillery Brigade as well as Commander of the Finnish Army. He also served in the NATO-led KFOR operation in Kosovo holding the post of Deputy Commander of the Multinational Brigade Centre in Pristina.

Additionally, Mr Raimo Jyväsjärvi has held the positions of Chief J5, Planning Division at the Defence Command Finland in 2004-2008 and Commanding General of the Army Materiel Command in 2009 - 2011.

Mr Jyväsjärvi has augmented his expertise by taking up studies in European Security Issues and later on in U.S. European Security Issues. Mr Jyväsjärvi received his Master of Science degree from the National Defense University (inaugurated in hall of fame) Washington D.C. in National Resource Strategy while also studying simultaneously at the Defense Acquisition University in the U.S.

On 31 December 2015, Lieutenant General Jyväsjärvi retired as fully served from his active service in the Defence Command Finland where he held the office of Deputy Chief of Staff, Logistics and Armaments. With effect from 1 January 2016 Mr Jyväsjärvi was appointed Director General of the Resource Policy Department and Finnish National Armaments Director (NAD).