Speakers

Kersti Kaljulaid was born on 30 December 1969 in Tartu.

She graduated from the University of Tartu in 1992 in the field of genetics in the Faculty of Natural Sciences and completed master’s studies in the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration in 2001.

From 1994 to 1999, she worked in various Estonian companies: first, as the sales manager of telephone switchboards in Eesti Telefon, later in Hoiupank Markets and Hansapank Markets and as an Associate in investment banking.

From 1999 to 2002, Kersti Kaljulaid was Prime Minister Mart Laar’s Economic Advisor. Her duties included organisation of cooperation of the Office of the Prime Minister with Estonian central bank, the Ministry of Finance and ministries that had larger budgets, as well as coordination of relations with the International Monetary Fund and other financial institutions (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Nordic Investment Bank and World Bank). She participated in preparing the pension reform together with the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Social Affairs and advised the Prime Minister in annual budget negotiations held with other ministers.

From 2002 to 2004, Kersti Kaljulaid was the CFO and CEO of the Iru Power Plant of state-owned energy company Eesti Energia.

From 2004 to 2016 she was a Member of the European Court of Auditors. From 2004 to 2006 Kersti Kaljulaid organised the financial audit of the research and development funds of the budget of the European Union and from 2007 to 2010 she was responsible for the audit of the Structural Policies. From 2004 to 2007, she was the auditor of the Galileo project of the European Union. From 2010 to 2016 she coordinated the preparation of the Annual Report and State of Assurance of the European Court of Auditors. From 2005 to 2007, she was a member of the Europol Audit Committee and chaired the committee in 2007. From 2006 to 2008, she was the chair of the Administrative Affairs Committee of the Court of Auditors. From 2010 to 2014, she was responsible for the methodology and preparation of the Annual Report of the Court of Auditors. In 2016, she worked in the field of the agriculture audit.

In addition, Kersti Kaljulaid was a member of the Supervisory Board of the Estonian Genome Center from its foundation until 2002. She was also a member of the Advisory Board of the University of Tartu from 2009 to 2011 and the Council Chair of the University of Tartu since 2012. Kersti Kaljulaid has been a co-author of the social-political radio talk show Keskpäevatund (Midday Hour) in radio station Kuku from 2002 to 2004 and the editor of the Eurominutid (Euro-minutes) radio show from 2007 to 2016 in the same station.

Kersti Kaljulaid is married and has four children.

Career and public service
As of 2016, the President of the Republic of Estonia
2004-2016 Member of the European Court of Auditors
2002-2004 CFO and CEO of the Iru Power Plant of Eesti Energia
1992-2002 Economic Advisor of Prime Minister Mart Laar
1994-1999 worked in various Estonian companies

Involvement in Civic Groups
Since foundation until 2002 – member of the Supervisory Board of the Estonian Genome Center
2009-2011 Member of the Advisory Board of the University of Tartu
Since 2012 the Council Chair of the University of Tartu
2002-2004 co-author of the Keskpäevatund radio talk show in radio station Kuku
2007-2016 editor of the Eurominutid programme in radio station Kuku

Decorations
2016 The Collar of the The Order of the National Coat of Arms (Estonia)
2017 Order of the White Rose of Finland, Grand Cross with Collar

Foreign languages
English, French, Finnish, German