Kersti Kaljulaid
Born: 30 December 1969, Tartu, Estonia

President of the Republic of Estonia
10 October 2016 – 11 October 2021

Kersti Kaljulaid was born on 30 December 1969 in Tartu.

She was educated at the University of Tartu, graduating in 1992 with a degree in Genetics from the Faculty of Science and obtaining a Master's degree in Economics in 2001.

Between 1994 and 1999, she worked in various Estonian companies. She began her career as a sales manager for telephone exchanges at Eesti Telefon and later worked at Hoiupank Markets and Hansapank Markets.

From 1999 to 2002, Kaljulaid served as Economic Adviser to Prime Minister Mart Laar. Her responsibilities included coordinating cooperation between the Prime Minister's Office, the Bank of Estonia, the Ministry of Finance, and ministries with the largest budgets. She also coordinated relations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other international financial institutions, including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Nordic Investment Bank (NIB), and the World Bank. She participated in preparations for Estonia's pension reform and advised the Prime Minister during annual budget negotiations with ministers.

From 2002 to 2004, Kaljulaid served as Chief Financial Officer and later Managing Director of the Iru Power Plant of Eesti Energia.

Between 2004 and 2016, she was a Member of the European Court of Auditors. From 2004 to 2006, she was responsible for auditing European Union research and development expenditures. Between 2007 and 2010, she oversaw audits in the field of structural policies. She also served as auditor of the Galileo Programme from 2004 to 2007. From 2010 to 2016, she coordinated the preparation of the European Court of Auditors' Annual Report and Statement of Assurance. She served on the Europol Audit Committee from 2005 to 2007, chairing it in 2007. From 2006 to 2008, she chaired the Court's Administrative Affairs Committee. Between 2010 and 2014, she was responsible for the methodology and preparation of the Annual Report, and in 2016 she worked in the field of agricultural auditing.

In addition, Kersti Kaljulaid served as a member of the Council of the Estonian Genome Foundation from 2001 to 2004, a member of the Supervisory Board of the University of Tartu from 2009 to 2011, and Chair of the University of Tartu Council from 2012 to 2016. She was also a co-author of the Keskpäevatund radio programme on Kuku Radio from 2002 to 2004, and editor of Eurominutid on Kuku Radio from 2007 to 2016.

Kersti Kaljulaid is married and has four children.

Career

2016-2021 – President of the Republic of Estonia

2004-2016 – Member of the European Court of Auditors

2002-2004 – Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director, Iru Power Plant (Eesti Energia)

1999-2002 – Economic Adviser to Prime Minister Mart Laar

1994-1999 – Worked in various Estonian companies

Memberships and Public Activities

2001-2004 – Member of the Council of the Estonian Genome Foundation

2009-2011 – Member of the Supervisory Board of the University of Tartu

2012-2016 – Chair of the Council of the University of Tartu

2002-2004 – Co-author of the Kuku Radio programme Keskpäevatund

2007-2016 – Editor of Eurominutid on Kuku Radio

Orders and Decorations

2016 – Collar of the Order of the National Coat of Arms (Estonia)

2017 – Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose of Finland

2018 – Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion

2018 – Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic

2019 – Grand Cross with Chain of the Order of the Three Stars (Latvia)

2019 – Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Prince Henry (Portugal)

2019 – Order for Merits (Slovenia)

2021 – Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, First Class (Ukraine)

2023 – Grand Cross, Special Class, of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany

2025 – Commander of the Legion of Honour (France)

Honorary Titles

2018 – Honorary Doctorate, Ewha Womans University, South Korea

2018 – Honorary Citizen of Seoul, South Korea

2020 – Honorary Doctorate, Hanken School of Economics, Helsinki

Recognitions

2019 – Friend of the Press of the Year

2019 – Friend of the Bees of the Year

2019 – Friend of Wooden Architecture of the Year

2020 – Rainbow Hero

Languages

Estonian

English

French

Finnish