Madise proposes Paavo Nõgene as next presidential office director

President-elect Ülle Madise has proposed long-serving executive Paavo Nõgene as the next director of the Office of the President, ERR reported.

Madise said Nõgene’s experience as the head of a state institution, chancellor of the Ministry of Culture and leader of listed international company Tallink Grupp should be used in service of Estonia.

“Serving the Estonian state is a great honour,” Nõgene said, adding that organising the president’s work and contributing to Estonia’s development would continue his efforts to serve society beyond the limits of any single position.

Nõgene served as chairman of Tallink Grupp from 2018 to 2026. He was chancellor of the Ministry of Culture from 2013 to 2018 and headed Vanemuine Theatre from 2007 to 2012.

He is a member of the supervisory boards of Estonian Public Broadcasting, the Estonian Art Museum and the Estonian Drama Theatre.

Madise will take office in October. The current director of the Office of the President is Krista Zibo, who previously worked at the National Audit Office and the State Chancellery. She became director on September 1, 2024, initially through a fixed-term transfer from the State Chancellery. Her employment was made permanent on July 1, 2026.