Olli Perheentupa was employed at the University of Helsinki and the Academy of Finland. Afterwards, he joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1982. Perheentupa has served as Deputy Secretary General of the Finnish-Soviet Committee on Technical and Scientific Cooperation and as Coordinator of Finland's cooperation with the neighbouring areas. Furthermore, he has served at, for example, the Unit for Central and South-Eastern Europe. Since 2004, Perheentupa has been Director of the Unit for Russia. His diplomatic career includes postings in the Finnish embassies in St Petersburg and Moscow.