Vice Admiral Kari Takanen transferred to the reserve from the Finnish Defence Forces in 2017 after 40 years of military service. He is a naval officer who has served in various positions both on naval ships and ashore, including ship commanding officer and squadron commander. Takanen served several times in the Finnish Navy in different operational tasks, as Commander of the Archipelago Sea Naval Command and finally as Commander of the Finnish Navy.

Vice Admiral Takanen has also served in joint tasks in the Finnish Defence Forces at the Defence Command, such as Aide-de-Camp to the Chief of Defence (CHOD), as Assistant Chief of Staff, Current Operations (J3) and Assistant Chief of Staff, Plans and Policy (J5) at the Defence Command. His last assignment before his retirement was that of Chief of the Defence Command, including being deputy to the Chief of Defence.

Vice Admiral Takanen graduated from the Naval Academy in 1981 and graduated as a General Staff officer in 1991 from the War College. He is also a graduate from the US Naval War College, Naval Command College (NCC) of class 2003.

Since retirement Vice Admiral Kari Takanen has work as a Senior advisor and specializes in defence and security policy and issues related to comprehensive security.

Takanen's areas of expertise include strategic planning of the Finnish Defence Forces, capability development, modern (naval) warfare and joint operations. He also has knowledge of
Baltic Sea issues and the wind power industry.