Erkki Toivanen, writer and broadcaster, started his career in journalism by joining the BBC World Service in 1963. Six years later he was appointed editor of foreign TV-news of the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE). He returned to London in 1972 as YLE’s Chief Correspondent, moved to Paris in 1982 and, after five years in France, he covered European affairs as YLE’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent until his retirement in 2001.

During his long career in broadcasting, Mr Toivanen has written, produced and presented radio features and TV documentaries on politics, economics, and on his special interests: music and cultural history. He is also well known to the readers of Finnish magazines as a columnist and for his articles on international affairs, culture, and food. He is in demand as lecturer and speaker at international conferences, universities, schools and chambers of commerce, and as master of ceremonies on special festive occasions.

Among his recent publications are three books on European politics and history: Kahden puolen Kanaalin ( 2001 ) on the evolution of British and French political cultures, and Iltakävelyllä ( 2002), essays on the frontiers of Europeanness, based on a series of popular radio features, and Eurooppalaisuuden rajoilla (2005) on the past, present and future of the European Union.

For his services to French culture, Mr Toivanen was made Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1985 and, for his services to Finnish journalism, Knight Commander, Order of the Finnish Lion in 1997. Besides having received several journalistic prizes, he was awarded a Special Prize of the Finnish Cultural Foundation in 1999. He had been chosen Finland’s Speaker of the Year 1998 and Expatriate of the Year in 2005.

Mr Toivanen lives in London.

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