Rector and Deans
Rector
The rector leads Hanken's operations, and is responsible for the economical, efficient and effective discharge of the university mission. The rector appoints most of the faculty and staff, admits students for degree studies, and decides on matters that, in accordance with Acts, Decrees or internal regulations, are not to be decided by any other administrative body of the School.
Ingmar BjörkmanRector
Professor Ingmar Björkman is Rector for Hanken School of Economics. Professor Björkman took office on 1 August 2022 and the term of office is five years. The Board has decided to extend Rector Ingmar Björkman's term of office, which is due to end on 31 July 2027, by one year until 31 July 2028. Ingmar Björkman comes from Aalto University's School of Business where he worked as dean of the School in 2012-2019 and as professor of international business management since 2016. Professor Björkman has also previously been employed at Hanken between the years 1983-2011, including positions as professor and dean. He also has prior international experience from visiting positions at, among others, Stanford University in USA and INSEAD in France. Hanken's Rector Ingmar Björkman's term extended (2 February 2026) |
Deans
Hanken currently has two deans with different areas of responsibility: research (Gyöngyi Kovács), and education and rector's representative in Vaasa (Kim Ittonen). The deans' term of office is 1.8.2026-31.7.2029. The deans are members of the management team.
Hanken also has four associate deans. Christina Dahlblom is responsible for executive education and corporate relations, Nikodemus Solitander is responsible for sustainability, Sören Kock is responsible for Hanken's activities within ENGAGE.EU, and Sofia Stolt is responsible for pedagogical development and language policy.
The Board appoints the deans and the areas of responsibilities are proposed by the rector.
Gyöngyi KovácsDean of Research As Dean of Research, Gyöngyi Kovács supports the development of research, the processes of external research funding, research ethics, research data protection and open science, the coordination of Hanken's research groups, the recruitment and tenure track processes for faculty, and the marketing of the doctoral programme. She is Chair of the Research Council and a member of the Research Ethics Committee. Professor Kovács' own research focuses on humanitarian logistics and sustainable logistics. Professor Kovács is an active researcher and one of the founders of the HUMLOG Institute. |
Kim IttonenDean of Education and Rector's Representative in Vaasa
Kim Ittonen serves as Dean of Education and the Rector's representative in Vaasa. As Dean of Education, he leads the development of Hanken's programme portfolio in accordance with the School's strategy. He also chairs the Education Council and the Board of Directors of the Centre for Languages and Business Communication. Professor Ittonen's research focuses on the economics of auditing, audit quality, and corporate governance. |
Christina DahlblomAssociate Dean of Executive Education and Corporate Relations As Associate Dean of Executive Education and Corporate Relations, Christina Dahlblom supports the development of Hanken's corporate relevance and alumni relations, the fundraising activities, and executive education, for example by taking a seat at the Hanken & SSE Executive Education Board of Directors. During her career, she has worked e.g. as Business unit director at TNS Gallup, CEO at Hanken & SSE Executive Education and founder and CEO of Miltton Sparks. She has held board positions in several public and private companies and is currently a board member of Evli Oyj, Viking Line Oyj and JA Finland. Dahlblom got her PhD from Hanken's Department of Marketing with a doctoral thesis on customer loyalty in 2004. In addition to her part-time work at Hanken, she is an entrepreneur and works with management team development. |
Nikodemus SolitanderAssociate Dean of Sustainability As Associate Dean of Sustainability, Nikodemus Solitander leads the sustainability work at Hanken. Solitander is the Chair of Hanken's sustainability committee and coordinates Hanken's study programme in sustainability. Nikodemus Solitander's main research interests are sustainability, business and human rights, and sustainable business education. He has a strong interest in pedagogical development and methods. |
Sören KockAssociate Dean of ENGAGE.EU activities Sören Kock is responsible for Hanken's activities within ENGAGE.EU, the European University Alliance with ten universities across Europe. The alliance aims to strengthen collaboration in education, research, and societal impact. Sören Kock has previously served as Dean of the Vaasa campus, Executive Education, and Education. Most recently, he served as Dean of International Relations. Professor Sören Kock's main research areas are coopetition, international business, and business networks. He has also been a visiting scholar at several international universities, including Stanford University, Uppsala University, Arizona State University, Emory University, and Aarhus University. |
Sofia StoltAssociate Dean of Pedagogical Development and Language Policy As Associate Dean, Sofia Stolt supports pedagogical development and language policy issues, and works closely with Hanken's Teaching Lab. She is also Director of the Centre for Languages and Business Communication and a member of the Matriculation Examination Board and chair for the section of the mother tongue Swedish. Stolt obtained her PhD in 2017 from the University of Helsinki and has a background in teaching Swedish as mother tongue and in public management. Her research focuses on assessment, educational leadership, and high-stakes examinations. |