Kanar Salam Patruss Council Member

Ms Patruss is the Danish representative in the TMA Council. She is the head of the Regional, Refugee and Humanitarian team at the Royal Danish Embassy to Kenya.

Kanar has extensive experience with international development engagements.

Hellen Oriaro Council member

Hellen Oriaro is an International Development Officer at Global Affairs Canada.

Leo Svahnbäck Council Chair

Mr Svahnbäck is the chair of TradeMark Africa Council and holds a full-time position as Deputy Head of Mission and Minister Counsellor at the Embassy of Finland in Nairobi. He has extensive experience with the European Union, having worked in various capacities in Brussels and other capitals. Mr. Svahnbäck joined Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 2011, and his international postings have included Beijing, where he focused on economics and trade cooperation. His diplomatic endeavours have also covered security policy and issues pertaining to Eastern Europe. Mr. Svahnback was part of the Finnish Parliament staff, serving in the EU office in Brussels and as an adviser to a Finnish MP. He earned his master’s degree in political science from the University of Turku, Finland, and studied briefly at the Institut d’Etudes Politiques in Aix-en-Provence, France.