Evelin Ilves

Who is Evelin Ilves?

Evelin Ilves is an Estonian businesswoman and the current First Lady of Estonia, married to Toomas Hendrik Ilves, the current President of Estonia. She is also president of the Estonian Rollerskating Federation, being a roller skating hobbyist.

In her professional life, Ilves has worked in advertising and public relations; she was marketing director of the newspaper Eesti Päevaleht from 1996 to 2001. From 2001 to 2002, she worked for Enterprise Estonia, leading the Brand Estonia project which developed the widely used slogan and logo Welcome to Estonia.

As First Lady, Ilves has championed a number of initiatives supporting children, health, and the advancement of women. She has taken part in state visits abroad, such as to Sweden in January 2011.

Ilves grew up in Tallinn and graduated from Saku Gymnasium in 1986. In 1993 she received a bachelors degree in medicine from Tartu University. In 2004 she married her longtime partner Toomas Hendrik Ilves with whom she has one daughter Kadri Keiu. In 2005 she began a business project of developing a guesthouse in Ärma farm, located in Abja Parish, that has belonged to her husband's ancestors since the 18th century.