Fortum appoints Samu Paukkunen as Director, Geopolitics and Resilience

ONLINE NEWS 4.5.2026

Fortum has appointed Samu Paukkunen as Director, Geopolitics and Resilience, effective 1 June. The appointment strengthens Fortum’s ability to navigate an increasingly complex geopolitical environment and to enhance the resilience of its operations and value chain.

In his role, Paukkunen will be responsible for analysing geopolitical developments and their implications for the energy sector, critical infrastructure and corporate resilience, supporting strategic decision-making and preparedness across the company.

Paukkunen joins Fortum from the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, where he served as Deputy Director. Previously, he was Head of Climate and Energy Security at NATO, with responsibility for energy security, climate-related security risks and underwater critical infrastructure protection. He has also held senior roles across Finland’s national security establishment including in the Office of the President of the Republic of Finland and the Finnish Defense Forces.

“Resilience today requires a deep understanding of the geopolitical context in which energy systems, markets, and critical infrastructure operate,” says Fortum’s Executive Vice President for Sustainability and Corporate Relations Nebahat Albayrak. “In the age of increasing geopolitical competition, Europe is building its future on low-carbon and accessible energy and Fortum is one of the leading companies making this change possible. To succeed in this transition, we need reliable and resilient energy production. Samu Paukkunen’s appointment strengthens Fortum’s ability to remain reliable, adapt to change and create long-term value in an increasingly uncertain world.”

Europe needs safe, reliable and scalable energy to succeed and Fortum has been a vocal advocate for stronger European energy security: the company commissioned the impactful report Resilience under Fire: How Ukraine's Energy Sector is Adapting — and What It Means for Europe together with Rasmussen Global, and has called on EU member states and industries to deepen cooperation on securing energy production.

Commenting on his appointment, Samu Paukkunen says: “Energy security and corporate resilience are closely linked to geopolitics. I look forward to contributing to Fortum’s work at a time when anticipating geopolitical change is essential.”

Fortum Corporation
Communications

Further information:
Fortum News Desk, +358 40 198 2843, newsdesk@fortum.com