HPP has invited experienced public procurement and competition law expert Ilona Pilkama-Paajanen to join partnership. As of 1 August 2026, Ilona has taken the lead on HPP’s public procurement work. Ilona continues to advice clients also on competition mandates as part of HPP’s EU & Competition practice.
With over 25 years of experience in leading law firms, Ilona brings extensive expertise in public procurement and procurement disputes, as well as competition and contract law. Ilona and her team advise clients across the full lifecycle of public procurement assignments under Finnish and EU public procurement rules, with particular depth in representing tenderers and economic operators, alongside contracting authority work. She has particular sector expertise in social and healthcare services and related regulatory matters, healthcare products and equipment, ICT, construction and defence.
“Public procurement plays a significant role in the Finnish economy and has long been an area of strong expertise at HPP. With Ilona joining the team, our public procurement offering is stronger than ever, while her expertise also complements our competition law practice exceptionally well”, says Antti Rintakoski, Managing Partner at HPP.
”I am delighted to join HPP! It’s an especially exciting time to build the practice, with recently amended national procurement legislation and the European Commission’s forthcoming reform of the EU procurement rules reshaping the procurement landscape. The Commission’s enforcement of the Foreign Subsidies Regulation is also reaching directly into public tenders, as seen in recent in-depth investigations — just one example of how public procurement and competition law are increasingly intertwined. With competition law also going through a significant period of change, I look forward to helping our clients navigate all of this,” says Ilona with enthusiasm.
”I, together with the entire partnership, am delighted to welcome Ilona to the Firm. Ilona brings a great breath of strategic public procurement expertise and competition law experience into the Firm and the EU & Competition practice that we will share. Ilona’s arrival reflects the Firm’s growth trajectory, particularly at a time when regulation expands in quantity and complexity,” says Anna Roubier, Partner in HPP’s EU & Competition team.
We warmly welcome Ilona to HPP!
