The President of the Republic of Finland has awarded the Order of the Lion of Finland, 1st Class Knight’s Crosses, to Giuseppe Carloni, Chairman of the Board of FinVector Oy, and Jean-Frédéric Paulsen, Executive Chairman of Ferring Pharmaceuticals and Ferring Ventures, upon the motion of the City of Kuopio. This is the first time the City of Kuopio has proposed decorations for foreign nationals.
The proposal stated that both Carloni and Paulsen have made significant personal contributions to the construction of FinVector Oy’s manufacturing facility, FinPort, in Kuopio and to obtaining approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to start production of gene therapy products in Kuopio. The investment has had significant impacts on both the local economy and educational institutions.
“These decorations are the city of Kuopio’s way of showing how pleased we are with your contributions to our city’s economy, vitality, and scientific life,” said Aleksi Eskelinen, Chairman of the City Board, in his speech to the recipients.
FinVector Oy and Ferring Pharmaceuticals opened a new gene therapy production facility, Finport, in Kuopio in October 2024. The company’s operations have had a significant economic impact on the Kuopio area in recent years. FinVector Oy is also one of the largest private-sector employers in the region. The company strengthens Kuopio’s expertise and research cluster in the field of healthcare.
Giuseppe Carloni was extremely delighted by the recognition. “I feel like a Kuopio citizen. I lived here for two and a half years. During that time, I met wonderful people and felt like to be part of the community. Thank you for this recognition. This is something I will keep in my heart for the rest of my life”, said Carloni in his thank-you speech.
From left to right: Matthias Krieger (Managing Director, FinVector Oy), Aleksi Eskelinen (Chairman of the City Board of Kuopio), Soile Lahti (Mayor of Kuopio), Giuseppe Carloni (Chairman of the board, FinVector Oy), Seppo Ylä-Herttuala (Professor, A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences), Marko Kilpi (Chairman of the City Council of Kuopio). Picture: Vicente Serra.
Did you know?
The decorations of the Orders of the White Rose of Finland and the Lion of Finland are conferred upon citizens who have distinguished themselves in the service of Finland. Foreign nationals may also be awarded decorations of the Orders. The President of Finland serves as the Grand Master of the order, and the decorations are administered by a board consisting of a chancellor, a vice-chancellor, and other members.
The Order of the Lion of Finland is one of Finland’s three official state orders, established in 1942. The 1st Class Knight’s Cross is one of the higher classes within this order, recognizing notable contributions and achievements. The 1st Class Knight’s Cross is typically awarded for exceptional service and is a mark of high honour.
Source: https://ritarikunnat.fi/language/en/the-orders-en/orders-of-the-white-rose-of-finland-and-the-lion-of-finland-2/