Today, on March 21, 2025, BritCham Latvia held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Residence of the British Ambassador in Riga. This important gathering brought together our members to reflect on the past year, discuss future initiatives, and elect a new Board to lead BritCham into the next phase of its development.

We are pleased to announce that Dace Cīrule, Owner and Lawyer at LarkLaw Legal Office, has been newly elected to the Board. We also congratulate Kalbinder Singh Srai, Robin Poynder, and Gordon Latimir, who have been re-elected for another term.

Additionally, we are delighted that Trudy Žagare (King’s College Latvia), Paul Nicholas Barratt (Barratt Equestrian Centre), Gaļina Zilgalve (RISEBA University), and Ieva Broka (Ieva Broka & Partners SIA) will continue their work on the Board, ensuring continuity and strategic leadership for BritCham.

Following the elections, the Board unanimously elected Gordon Latimir as Chair, with Kalbinder Singh Srai and Robin Poynder serving as Deputy Chairs. Their leadership will be instrumental in strengthening BritCham’s role in the Latvian business community, fostering British-Latvian business relations, and creating new opportunities for collaboration.

We extend our sincere thanks to all BritCham members who participated in the AGM, cast their votes, and continue to engage in Chamber activities. Your support is what makes BritCham a thriving and dynamic organization.

A special thank you to HMA Paul Brummell, the British Ambassador to Latvia, for his sincere hospitality in hosting this year’s AGM at the Ambassador’s Residence. We truly appreciate this generous support, which made the event even more special.

With a dedicated and experienced Board in place, we look forward to an exciting and productive year ahead, full of new initiatives, meaningful connections, and valuable opportunities for our members.

Today at the International School of Riga’s Career Talks, organised in collaboration with BritCham Academy, students had the opportunity to engage with industry professionals Justīne Ignatavičute, Head of Capital Markets at Eversheds Sutherland Bitāns, and Toms Zeltiņš, CEO of GP Nord.

Justīne shared her journey from competitive tennis aspirations to earning law degrees at the University of Kent and UCL, ultimately becoming a legal expert in Latvia. Toms provided insights into his entrepreneurial path, from studying Politics at Riga Stradiņš University, working in the UK, and now leading GP Nord, a company specialising in the distribution of hard-to-get pharmaceuticals in Latvia.

A huge thank you to ISR for the excellent cooperation and for hosting this inspiring session, as well as to Justīne and Toms for sharing their valuable insights and experiences with the students.

This session is part of BritCham Academy’s commitment to bridging education and industry, providing ISR students with first-hand exposure to global career perspectives.

BritCham Latvia presents a series of specialist seminars designed for professionals who are looking to enhance their business expertise, with a hint of British-Latvian perspective. Led by experienced industry professionals, these workshops provide practical skills in negotiation, relationship-building, leadership, and confident communication.

Feedback from last year’s series was extremely positive, giving confidence to professionals that these seminars provide actionable and robust skills that you can deploy in the ‘real world’.

This year, we are introducing an additional seminar:

📌 The Art of Influencing and Leading Others – A workshop focused on understand wider leadership skills to help positive management of your business relationships across the span of 360 degrees. To attend this, you must have completed ‘The Art of Building Effective Business Relationships’ (this year or last year).

💼 Upcoming Seminars & Themes:

📍 The Art of Business Negotiation – 25th March, 14:00– 17:00, RISEBA
🔹 Key negotiation principles that lead to success
🔹 Practical techniques to boost confidence and achieve win-win outcomes

📍 The Art of Building Effective Business Relationships – 30th April, 14:00– 17:00, RISEBA
🔹 The role of emotional intelligence (EQ) in professional success
🔹 Understanding your own communication styles and adapting to others
🔹 Cultural differences between British and Latvian communication styles

📍 The Art of Presenting Yourself – 19th May, 13:00 – 17:00 Dailes Theatre
🔹 How to present yourself and your ideas with impact and confidence
🔹 Structuring your message for clarity and persuasion
🔹 Practical techniques to engage and influence your audience

📍 NEW: The Art of Influencing and Leading Others – Date & Venue TBC
🔹 Developing leadership skills, whether leading a team, project, or initiative
🔹 Enhancing collaboration and communication as part of a wider team
🔹 Understanding your unique leadership style and how to manage ‘upwards’

👥 Meet the Tutors:

🔹 Trudy Žagare – Former Corporate Business and Commercial Training Manager at British Airways with extensive experience in global contract negotiations. Now an in-demand corporate training coach worldwide.
🔹 Robin Poynder – Former leader at HSBC and Thomson Reuters, with years of experience managing international teams and coaching professionals across cultures.

💡 Pricing:
• BritCham Members: €80 + VAT per session
• Non-members: €110 + VAT per session
• Special Members’ Offer: Book 3 sessions for €210 or all 4 for €250!
• Non-Members’ Offer: Book 3 sessions for €280 or all 4 for €350!

Register HERE

We are thrilled to announce Cardaq as the first-ever Diamond Member of BritCham Latvia, marking the launch of our new, prestigious membership tier in 2025.

About Cardaq:
Cardaq is a leading card and acquiring company, specialising in delivering cutting-edge issuing and acquiring solutions for businesses operating in low- and medium-risk domains. Whether you run a family-owned business or a large enterprise, Cardaq’s automated FinTech solutions empower you to seamlessly accept and process global payments, offering unmatched efficiency and transparency.

As Principal Members of MasterCard, Visa and China UnionPay since 2019, Cardaq delivers a premium product range, including MasterCard WorldElite, Visa Signature and China UnionPay Diamond cards, ensuring every transaction adds value to your business.

Learn more about Cardaq’s innovative solutions at www.cardaq.co.uk

About Diamond Membership:
The Diamond Membership (€5,000 annually) is BritCham Latvia’s most exclusive level, limited to companies that make a positive impact on the business landscape in Latvia and/or the UK. This membership tier offers unparalleled benefits, designed to provide maximum exposure, influence, and access within the BritCham network and beyond.

We are proud to have Cardaq leading the way as our first Diamond Member, showcasing excellence and innovation in the FinTech sector.

Welcome aboard, Cardaq!

On Wednesday, 29th January 2025, BritCham Latvia hosted a discussion with the Minister of Economics, Viktors Valainis, on Latvia’s economic priorities and initiatives for 2025. The event provided an opportunity for business leaders and investors to learn about key strategies for economic growth and investment in Latvia.

We also welcomed the new LIAA Director, Ieva Jāgere, who shared insights into investment attraction and business opportunities.

Key Takeaways from the Discussion:

✅ Economic Growth Strategy – The Ministry of Economy aims to double Latvia’s GDP by 2035 through increased private investment, exports, and productivity.
✅ Reducing Bureaucracy in Construction – Introduction of a unified building registration process to simplify development.
✅ Promoting Lending for Economic Growth – Increasing SME equity and credit volume to improve financial accessibility.
✅ Reduction of Food Prices – Implementation of markup caps, lowest price settings, and a digital price comparison tool.
✅ AI Solutions in Public and Private Sectors – Development of labour market analysis tools and pilot data processing projects.
✅ Transformation of Latvian Ports – Investment in new industrial territories and export capacity.
✅ Rental Housing Development in Regions – Support for low-rent housing construction and mortgage lending.
✅ Attracting Large Investments – Strengthening financial instruments, capital markets, and EU fund support.
✅ Investments in National Defence – Establishing defence industry strategies and material reserves.
✅ Public Sector Reforms – Streamlining government functions to reduce costs and enhance service delivery.
✅ Trade Missions Abroad – Expanding foreign investment opportunities and promoting exports.

The discussion was moderated by BritCham Board Member, Robin Poynder, ensuring a focused exchange of ideas.

BritCham Latvia thanks Minister Viktors Valainis, LIAA Director Ieva Jāgere, and all attendees for their participation. We look forward to continued discussions on economic development in Latvia.

BritCham Latvia kicked off the season with our Curry Cook-Off at Singh’s Restaurant, co-hosted by the Chairman of BritCham Mr Gordon Latimir and amazing Singh family!

Talented and brave teams from FICIL, SIFFA, @ukinlatvia , @myrgsl , @koya_riga , and @rigasporcelans wowed us with their delicious and creative curries.
Huge congratulations to Team @koya_riga for winning 1st place by the jury’s decision, and to @rigasporcelans , the guests’ favourite!
A massive thank you to everyone who joined us for this unforgettable evening, filled with flavours, fun, and fantastic company.

Check out the photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bcclatvia/albums/72177720320291576/
There’s a saying: “The way you start your morning sets the tone for the day.” In this case, we’ll rephrase it—”The brighter you start the season, the more vibrant it will be!”

Here’s to an exciting, event-filled year ahead with BritCham Latvia. We look forward to seeing you all at our upcoming events!

Platinum members of the British Chamber of Commerce in Latvia were honoured to attend the traditional breakfast with His Majesty’s Ambassador to Latvia,Mr Paul Brummell, and Dr. Adriana Ivama Brummell. Representatives of our Platinum member companies, including Laima Eglīte of Eversheds Sutherland Bitāns  , Girts Apsitis of Vitol, Steve Austwick of KPMG, Dmitrijs Latiševs of BluOr Bank, Jana Smirnova of PwC Latvija , Rihards Ravis of Skonto Group and Kully Singh of Singh’s, as well as the Chairman of the Board of BritCham Latvia, Gordon Latimir , and Executive Director Kristīne Zvirbule, participated in the breakfast discussion.

The Embassy is the most significant strategic partner of the BritCham in Latvia, and in close cooperation, we continue to enhance trade links between Latvia and theUK.

Foreign investors’ assessment of the overall investment climate in Latvia reached its lowest rating of 1.9 points out of 5. In comparison to 2022, the rating has fallen by 0.4 points. This is the conclusion of the “Sentiment Index 2023” research by the Foreign Investors’ Council in Latvia (FICIL) and Dr. Arnis Sauka from the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga (SSE Riga).

Investors rate the investment climate in Latvia with the lowest rating in the history of the research. When asked about the reasons for the low assessment, most investors highlight the geopolitical situation, as well as, the lack of skilled workforce, high labour costs, and the quality of policies. At the same time, investors assessed the work of policymakers in attracting investment with 2.4 points on the 5-point scale. That is the lowest rating since 2017. While communication with the policymakers has improved, as has their willingness to open a dialogue, investors point to a lack of real action and changes. The lack of vision for the country prevents Latvia’s economic competitiveness.

Read the full FICIL press release HERE.