Mikael Collan has worked as the general director of the VATT Institute for Economic Research from the beginning of 2021 and he is responsible for the leadership and development of the institute.

Mikael defended his dissertation in economics and business administration in 2004 at Åbo Akademi University. Between the years 2004 and 2011 he worked in various research and teaching positions at the Åbo Akademi University, the University of Turku, and at Turku University of Applied Sciences. Before joining VATT he worked at LUT University in Lappeenranta as a full professor of strategic finance.