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Mr Heikki Kanninen obtained a bachelor's degree in economics from the Helsingin kauppakorkeakoulu (Helsinki School of Economics, Finland) in 1976 and a master's degree in law from the Faculty of Law of the Helsingin yliopisto (University of Helsinki, Finland) in 1978. In 1988, he completed his studies at the University of Helsinki with a postgraduate degree in law.

Mr Kanninen started his professional career in 1978 as a legal secretary at the Korkein hallinto-oikeus (Supreme Administrative Court, Finland). He then became General Secretary at the Hallinnon oikeusturvakomitea (Committee for Reform of Legal Protection in Public Administration, Finland), established by the Finnish Government.

He returned to the Korkein hallinto-oikeus in 1981, where he served as a principal administrator until 1984, before being appointed as General Secretary at the Hallintolainkäyttökomitea (Committee for Reform of Administrative Litigation, Finland) from 1984 to 1985. Between 1986 and 1993, he worked at the Legislative Drafting Department at the Finnish Ministry of Justice as an advisor -. From 1991 to 1993, he was also a member of the Turvapaikkalautakunta (Asylum Appeal Board, Finland). In 1993, he worked as a researcher at the Helsingin yliopiston kansainvälisen talousoikeuden instituutti (Institute of International Economic Law of the University of Helsinki).

Later in 1993, he was appointed as Assistant Registrar at the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Court (Geneva, Switzerland), where he served until 1995. He then worked at the Court of Justice of the European Communities as a Legal Secretary to Judge Leif Sevón from 1995 to 1998.

Upon return to Finland, he was a judge at the Korkein hallinto-oikeus from 1998 to 2005. He was also involved in the work of the Committee on the Development of the Finnish Courts, where he was Vice-Chairman from 2001 to 2003.

Mr Kanninen was a Judge at the European Union Civil Service Tribunal from 6 October 2005 to 6 October 2009 and served as President of the Chamber from 1 October 2008 to 6 October 2009. On 7 October 2009, he was appointed as a Judge at the General Court. He was President of the Chamber from 23 November 2011 to 16 September 2013. His peers elected him as Vice-President of the General Court from 17 September 2013 to 19 September 2016. Alongside those posts, he presided over one of the chambers at the General Court. He was re-elected by his peers as President of the Chamber at that court on 21 September 2016 and, again, on 30 September 2019.