Mr Heinonen most recently served as the Director General of the Finnish National Agency for Education. Prior to leading the National Agency for Education, Mr Heinonen held various positions in the Finnish Government, including State Secretary and Minister of Education and Science, as well as senior commercial roles in the Finnish National Broadcasting Company.

Widely recognised globally in education, Mr Heinonen brings a wealth of experience and knowledge of educational systems development and innovation to the IB. He is engaged actively with the OECD and other international organisations in contributing views on the future of education, including the sharing of best practice, personalised and lifelong learning, the impact of technology and the development of educators.