Lajla Brandt Jakhelln

Lajla Brandt Jakhelln

Norwegian Ambassador to Greece and Cyprus

Royal Norwegian Embassy, Greece

Ambassador Jakhelln has served with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 1993. She is a generalist by experience and personality, having covered a wide range of topics and arenas during her diplomatic career.
In her previous position with the Ministry, she served as Director General of the Services Department, heading contingency planning and safety, consular and immigration affairs as well as overseeing internal services (ICT/digitalization/information management, facilities, and procurement).
She has an extensive experience in strategic crisis management, as well as in change management and reform.
Ambassador Jakhelln has previously had postings in Switzerland and in the United States (DCM, Washington DC).
Ambassador Jakhelln is a Cand.Philol. form the University of Oslo with a major in Comparative Literature. She has studied Political Philosophy and Political Science (Cand.mag.) and has a master module in Project Management from the Norwegian Business School (BI).
Ambassador Jakhelln is married to Leif Kjøita and has three grown children.