Riga, Latvia – State-owned television Latvijas Televīzija hosted a debate on the failed search for a new head of the national anti-corruption bureau (KNAB). 

The discussion took place during the highly popular political talk show "Tieša Runa"  moderated by renowned journalist Guntis Bojārs and brought together a panel comprising State Chancellery director Mārtiņš Krieviņš, rejected candidate Māris Gulbis, good governance and anti-corruption expert Inese Voika, Vice Rector for Social Sciences at the University of Latvia Jānis Ikstens, Latvian Chamber of Commerce Board Member Katrīna Zariņa, and finally Evita Lune, Global Partner at Executive Search firm Pedersen & Partners.

Ms. Lune had the following comments: “Our experience is mainly with privately owned companies, and in these cases we see more of a focus on higher-level requirements, such as a confirmed track record of success or international experience. The requirements for state organisations seem to be more formal.

There is no need to make such a strong distinction as to what the process is called: competition, direct search or by recommendation. It is absolutely fine to include internal and recommended candidates in the process. The main point is to attract as many relevant candidates as possible and then to choose the best one for the role.

In the private sector, a great deal of confidentiality is required for handling both the client and the candidates. The announcements are not made public until the new manager has been appointed, signed a new labour agreement and formally resigned from his old job. The situation differs in the public sector, where due to the expenditure of taxpayers' money, the final two or three shortlisted candidates might need to be ready for public debates and interviews.

We see lower levels of response and interest from candidates for certain vacancies in the public sector, and this could be due to the salary level. In the private sector, salaries are at least two or three times higher. The state sector would also benefit from a more transparent performance management system – for example, it should be relatively easy to set KPIs and measure the performance of the leadership at the anti-corruption bureau and tax revenue office.

The theme of impeccable reputation in the public sector could definitely be managed better. In the private sector, we get 360-degree references for a potential candidate – from previous managers, peers, subordinates and business partners. We ensure that the candidate enjoys an excellent reputation and has a solid track record of success.”

Adapted from https://ltv.lsm.lv/lv/raksts/02.11.2016-tiesa-runa-kapec-izgazas-knab-konkurss.id83373/

Evita Lune joined Pedersen & Partners in 2005; she is a Partner, the Country Manager for Latvia and Head of the Retail Practice Group. As Partner, Ms. Lune also takes on regional oversight, and through completing numerous senior level assignments, Ms. Lune has established strong cooperation with clients in Poland, the Baltics, Scandinavia, Russia, and CIS across such sectors as: FinTech, Consumer Goods, Retail, Pharmaceutical, Manufacturing, and the Professional Services sectors. Her previous experience includes three years with the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga as the Executive MBA Program Director and six years with Shell in international and regional marketing management functions in Riga, Budapest and Brussels.

Pedersen & Partners is a leading international Executive Search firm. We operate 56 wholly owned offices in 52 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia & the Americas. Our values Trust, Relationship and Professionalism apply to our interaction with clients as well as executives. More information about Pedersen & Partners is available at www.pedersenandpartners.com

If you would like to conduct an interview with a representative of Pedersen & Partners, or have other media-related requests, please contact: Diana Danu, Marketing and Communications Manager at: diana.danu@pedersenandpartners.com 

Riga, Latvia – The Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) has announced the winners of its Reputation TOP awards, which recognise top managers in Latvian companies.

The business community and general public evaluated the effectiveness, consistency with the company’s goals and ideals, values and character traits of managers, as well as the respect and recognition that they receive.

Many different industries were represented in the top ten: food production, telecommunications, cosmetics, publishing houses, construction, banking, and pharmacy, etc. The majority of the winning managers can boast many years of experience, and approximately half of them are founders of their own companies and originators of their business concepts.

What kind of managers are considered to be kind, effective and respectable? What are the main requirements? How do the requirements and evaluation of managers nowadays differ from those of ten years ago? These questions were put to psychologists, consultants from different organisations and recruitment specialists, including Evita Lune, Partner at international Executive Search firm “Pedersen & Partners.”

All of the experts explained that it is not an easy task to be a manager in 2016. The business environment has become much more complex, it is more difficult to achieve growth, and the requirements imposed on managers by owners, employees, clients and society as such are constantly growing. There are many changes due to information overload, global matrix model structures, new technologies and the like.

Evita Lune, Partner at Executive Search firm “Pedersen & Partners” stresses that nowadays a manager is expected to possess strong competencies in Internet and communication technologies as well as deep knowledge of his own field. “About 10 years ago, good English and communications skills were appreciated during the process of recruitment. Now they are not enough,” she continues.

Professional experience is still important – this has not changed. It is very rare for a fresh graduate to become a big boss straight away; it takes time to accumulate experience and knowledge. Managers usually end up in higher-level positions at around 40 (give or take a decade).

However, Evita has noticed that younger candidates are becoming more and more attractive to her firm’s clients. It can be due to the fact that young managers have more youthful character traits – they are naturally passionate, enthusiastic, and energetic. Moreover, compared to older managers, they have a more open attitude and higher level of knowledge about technology. “IT often is a significant disadvantage for older candidates,” she says.

A manager should show qualities that correspond to the company’s ideals and represent its values. Executive Search professionals often talk about “authentic behaviour”; Evita says that it is unacceptable for a manager to “put on a mask in the morning.”

For example, if a company’s values are simplicity, openness and equality, then its managers should correspond to these qualities. They should eat lunch with their colleagues, not show off their high status and so on.

It is also vitally important for a manager to be a team player. Although more and more managers have now accepted this, Evita thinks that Latvia’s education system puts too much emphasis on individual work and does not focus enough on developing team skills.

Although the specialists named many competencies and character traits that managers should possess, all of them readily admit that there is no single ideal manager type. The required skills and competencies also depend on the company’s stage of development. Evita concludes with an example: there is a huge difference between the required skillset for a manager of a start-up which is simultaneously developing in ten different countries, and for a manager that works at a traditional German manufacturing company.

Evita Lune joined Pedersen & Partners in 2005; she is Partner, the Country Manager for Latvia and Head of the Retail Practice Group. As Partner Ms. Lune also takes on regional oversight, and through completing numerous senior level assignments Ms. Lune has established strong cooperation with clients in Poland, the Baltics, Scandinavia, Russia and CIS across such sectors as: Consumer Goods, Retail, Pharmaceutical, Manufacturing and the Professional Services sectors. Her previous experience includes three years with the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga as the Executive MBA Program Director and six years with Shell in international regional marketing management functions in Riga, Budapest and Brussels.

Pedersen & Partners is a leading international Executive Search firm. We operate 56 wholly owned offices in 52 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia & the Americas. Our values Trust, Relationship and Professionalism apply to our interaction with clients as well as executives. More information about Pedersen & Partners is available at www.pedersenandpartners.com

If you would like to conduct an interview with a representative of Pedersen & Partners, or have other media-related requests, please contact: Diana Danu, Marketing and Communications Manager at: diana.danu@pedersenandpartners.com 

Riga, Latvia – The women who make our world better today include successful entrepreneurs who set up new companies, develop new products and services. They are managers who can lead and inspire their teams. They are high-level executives, who have often achieved success after starting their careers from the very bottom.

How do you take a risk and set up your own company? How do you find a balance between your work and personal life? How do you get enough energy for everything? “Kapitals” magazine talked to Evita Lune, Partner and Country Manager for Latvia for Executive Search firm Pedersen & Partners and asked her five questions about setting up a business, and how easy it is to maintain one’s womanhood in the hardcore world of business.

Are there equal opportunities for men and women to succeed?

I believe that in a democratic country, there are completely equal opportunities for men and women to succeed. The question is, how is the housework at home split between family members? How much of her career must a woman sacrifice to childbirth, breastfeeding, raising children and staying at home when they get ill? It’s more about gender roles and stereotypes than opportunities for women in society.

In your opinion, what are the most important differences between businessmen and businesswomen?

There are some well-known stereotypes – women are more emotional, more careful, with a more developed sense of empathy, and at the same time more timid, less ambitious and with lower self-esteem than men. If we analyse this data based on statistics, we would most likely reach similar conclusions regarding the differences between women and men in business. However, in my experience, there are some really shining exceptions. Although these types of businesswomen and female managers are not the majority, there are still some stars who are far morally and intellectually stronger than most men, who pay equal attention to achievements and money, and who are not afraid to lose their popularity in order to reach their goals.

How do you succeed in cooperating with your male colleagues? Is a businesswoman considered to be an equal business and cooperation partner?

I’ve never had any problems with my colleagues in Latvia, or globally, or with any of my clients. The term “glass ceiling” is used when a woman doesn’t get promoted, for reasons that are not directly revealed. I have been highly valued (appreciated) in all my workplaces, so I’ve never experienced the glass ceiling due to being a woman.

Is there a specific business management style for women?

If women are the representatives of their shareholders or corporations, then they must do business as their shareholders want them to. Every entrepreneur, regardless of sex, has a big personality, so my answer to this question is “no.”

What would be your suggestions to women who want to build their careers?

My most important suggestion is to marry the right man – a man who is self-sufficient and will allow his wife to develop. For a woman, family support is really important, as well as an appraisal of her social life. I would also suggest being ambitious and goal-oriented – don’t be afraid to take responsibility and well-considered risks, and don’t hesitate to appreciate yourself highly enough.

Evita Lune joined Pedersen & Partners in 2005; she is Partner, the Country Manager for Latvia and Head of the Retail Practice Group. As Partner Ms. Lune also takes on regional oversight, and through completing numerous senior level assignments Ms. Lune has established strong cooperation with clients in Poland, the Baltics, Scandinavia, Russia and CIS across such sectors as: Consumer Goods, Retail, Pharmaceutical, Manufacturing and the Professional Services sectors. Her previous experience includes three years with the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga as the Executive MBA Program Director and six years with Shell in international regional marketing management functions in Riga, Budapest and Brussels.

Pedersen & Partners is a leading international Executive Search firm. We operate 56 wholly owned offices in 52 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia & the Americas. Our values Trust, Relationship and Professionalism apply to our interaction with clients as well as executives. More information about Pedersen & Partners is available at www.pedersenandpartners.com

If you would like to conduct an interview with a representative of Pedersen & Partners, or have other media-related requests, please contact: Diana Danu, Marketing and Communications Manager at: diana.danu@pedersenandpartners.com

Riga, Latvia – How does the Latvian labour market integrate in the global talent market? Which professions are growing and which are declining? How can participants in the labour market keep up with constant flux and change? These were some of the questions addressed at the recent “LMT Smart Future” conference held in Riga on May 23rd, 2016.

The event was organised by BIG Event in cooperation with Latvian Mobile Telephone and AJ Power, with the support of “Fima,” “Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija,” “Kapitāls,” and “Enerģija un Pasaule” magazines and “focus.lv” and “biļešu serviss.”

The organisers of the conference collated forecasts from experts across multiple industries and disciplines to predict the future of the labour market, the role of Latvia and Europe in a changing world, and the future of technology, the urban environment, infrastructure and energy.

Evita Lune, Partner at the Executive Search firm Pedersen & Partners and LMT Smart Future participant, said that FinTech companies stand out in particular among her firm’s clients. Peer to peer lending companies and fast loan companies are at the cutting edge of financial technology, followed closely by investment and forex trader companies. “There are some Baltic companies that are expanding globally due to their online business platforms, with which they not only create workplaces in Latvia, but go one step further,” Evita added.

Healthcare is another sector that is taking full advantage of technological developments, with rapid progress being made in biotechnologies, diagnostics and various online services.

“Latvia is a really small country, so in a way it’s always challenging to do business here. For example, Poland or Germany can always rely on their own internal markets, but here in Latvia we cannot depend on doing business only with ourselves. If we don’t use technologies but stick to the traditional methods, then others will outperform us. My best advice is to avoid standing still and becoming complacent,” concluded Evita.

The development of new technologies increases the entry requirements for every profession. There is increased pressure to become competitive across multiple disciplines, developing technological skills as well as specialist skills related to the specific profession and industry. The world is becoming challenging for employees who have simple, systematic jobs that can be easily replaced by computers, causing social and employment pressures.

Technology can facilitate many back-office responsibilities, including data input, record-keeping and project reporting. However, creative and competent consulting can never be fully automated. Moreover, employers will increasingly need specialists with the skills to evaluate and define content for reporting and data analysis.
 
Administrators and accountants will need to focus more on financial analytics, data interpretation and recommendations for further steps. At the same time, HR specialists will need to take on responsibility for motivating employees and cultivating loyalty, in addition to recruitment.

Evita Lune joined Pedersen & Partners in 2005; she is Partner, the Country Manager for Latvia and Head of the Retail Practice Group. As Partner Ms. Lune also takes on regional oversight, and through completing numerous senior level assignments Ms. Lune has established strong cooperation with clients in Poland, the Baltics, Scandinavia, Russia and CIS across such sectors as: Consumer Goods, Retail, Pharmaceutical, Manufacturing and the Professional Services sectors. Her previous experience includes three years with the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga as the Executive MBA Program Director and six years with Shell in international regional marketing management functions in Riga, Budapest and Brussels.

Pedersen & Partners is a leading international Executive Search firm. We operate 56 wholly owned offices in 52 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia & the Americas. Our values Trust, Relationship and Professionalism apply to our interaction with clients as well as executives. More information about Pedersen & Partners is available at www.pedersenandpartners.com

If you would like to conduct an interview with a representative of Pedersen & Partners, or have other media-related requests, please contact: Diana Danu, Marketing and Communications Manager at: diana.danu@pedersenandpartners.com 

Riga, Latvia – Evita Lune joined the Latvia office of Executive Search firm Pedersen & Partners over ten years ago. By 2009, she had developed the business and her team to such an extent that she was promoted to the position of Partner. Her ascent within Pedersen & Partners, which operates in 52 countries across the globe, is quite remarkable; she became a key member of the firm’s executive body within a few years after joining, and has steadily increased her responsibilities while expanding the areas covered and diversifying the teams that she has built.

In addition to her duties as Partner and Country Manager for Latvia, Evita is also the Head of the Global Retail Practice Group, and is responsible for the firm’s operations in the Baltics, Poland, and Belarus. Evita has executed international searches in countries such as Colombia, Mexico and Brazil, as well as across Europe.

Evita is one of the Forbes TOP 35 businesswomen, and her perseverance and personal achievements rank her in the top 10 consultants all over the world.

Evita says that if you are sufficiently devoted to your career, you don’t need a work-life balance. “My job is my lifestyle, it gives me great joy and a sense of fulfilment, so there is no need for me to set strict time limits between job and leisure in my daily schedule.” Because she doesn’t separate her work life and her personal life, there have been times when she has made business deals on skiing vacations, or when her friends have become clients and vice versa. “I know that in the business world, only passionate and enthusiastic people can reach the top,” Evita adds. She thinks that a person can only be successful and happy if s/he acts naturally and does not wear a mask.  

Evita is passionate about music and extreme sports. “I was taught to understand and enjoy opera by a former colleague from the Riga School of Economics. I regularly attend opera performances in London and Warsaw when on business trips, as well as in Latvia.”

“In Latvia I pay particular attention to Viesturs Meiksans’ creative activities,” Evita continues, “while in my opinion the real master of the theatre is Dainis Grube.”

For Evita, the risk of extreme sports is what drives her, helps her to concentrate and restores her energy. She loves winter swimming (this year she even took part in the Latvian winter swimming championships) and slalom water skiing (she did not water ski seriously until her thirties). Evita stresses that for winter swimming, it is essential to have a good group of friends who will not only keep you safe, but also make you laugh. This is exactly what one needs to recuperate after a stressful working week. Winter swimming also gives Evita an opportunity to discuss work with other professionals (her teammates include leading Latvian lawyers and businessmen, as well as athletes). “I don’t complain about cold and grey skies anymore, because after swimming in the ice-hole, the regular weekday no longer seems grey,” Evita says with a smile. For Evita, waterskiing is not a lazy solo cruise behind the boat, but an advanced sport that requires huge physical effort, concentration and cooperation with other athletes. Evita doesn’t doubt that these activities make her heart beat faster and directly help her in her job. “If I take part in sports on a regular basis, I have greater physical and mental wellbeing and a high level of energy. These are the main requirements for me to succeed.”

The RX is perfect for drivers with large families (it seats 4-5 people) and who highly appreciate comfort and safe driving.

“I’d like to thank Forbes for the opportunity to test the new Lexus RX450 – it was the first time I had driven one. I had always had the impression that Lexus cars are premium class vehicles, and driving the RX450 confirmed this. I enjoyed its modern, slightly angular design that perfectly suits modern fashion trends. I also appreciated its safety features, such as the rear-view camera for reverse parking, and the indicators on the mirrors that warned whenever there was a car in the blind spot. The Lexus RX450 is a really comfortable car that is perfect for families with two or three kids. I was conscious of the way that it draws attention on the streets, but to other people this representation of social status may be an additional advantage of a luxury car.”

Pedersen & Partners is a leading international Executive Search firm. We operate 56 wholly owned offices in 52 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia & the Americas. Our values Trust, Relationship and Professionalism apply to our interaction with clients as well as executives. More information about Pedersen & Partners is available at www.pedersenandpartners.com

If you would like to conduct an interview with a representative of Pedersen & Partners, or have other media-related requests, please contact: Diana Danu, Marketing and Communications Manager at: diana.danu@pedersenandpartners.com 

Riga, Latvia – According to research carried out by Deloitte, technology has created more professions than it has destroyed over the last 140 years.

The revolutionary influence of technologies on the labour market will be discussed during the “LMT Smart Future” conference to be held in Riga on May 23rd, 2016. The event is organised by BIG Event in cooperation with Latvian Mobile Telephone and AJ Power, with the support of “Fima,” “Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija,” “Kapitāls,” and “Enerģija un Pasaule” magazines and “focus.lv” and “biļešu serviss.”

The organisers of the conference collated forecasts from experts across multiple industries and disciplines to predict the future of the labour market, the role of Latvia and Europe in the changing world, and the future of technology, the urban environment, infrastructure and energy.

# Couriers, postmen and taxi drivers

Over the past decade, the number of postmen and couriers in Latvia has declined by 36% from 8,600 to only 5,500. Driverless cars and drones are the future of mail delivery, and just last year the US Civil Aviation Agency allowed Amazon to deliver small packages by drone. Although delivery jobs will be lost, more people will be employed manufacturing and servicing drones, and carrying out drone traffic control.

# Travel agents

Staff.com CEO Rob Rawson predicts that travel agents will disappear by 2025 with the constant improvement of Internet travel tools. Websites such as Skyscanner, booking.com, Airbnb and TripAdvisor enable people to manage their own flights, hotels and excursions with no need for third-party assistance.

# Teachers, coaches and professors

The teaching profession will never go away, but it has evolved and adapted, as more and more information and knowledge can be found online. The Huffington Post recently published an article stating that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) currently offers more than 2,000 courses online, with more than 130 billion downloads to date. The non-profit institution Khan Academy offers a similar number of courses, with around 100 billion total downloads.

The futurist Thomas Frey believes that in many fields, teachers will be replaced by developers of online courses and camps, personal development coaches and life coaches.

“Taking into consideration that the total amount of information is rapidly increasing, more and more data analysts will be needed, and these individuals will eventually turn into data scientists. These data scientists will be able to research huge, unstructured data blocks and find correlations that will be used to draw conclusions and make decisions. Mathematicians and statisticians will have a huge advantage in this field, as they will be able to employ their knowledge in academic and practical research. Mobile apps are still increasing in popularity, and there is a real demand for specialists in this field. I believe that this profession will continue to develop,” says Laura Kersule, Board Member and Vice President of LMT (Latvian Mobile Telephone).

# Credit specialists

Oxford University researchers Carl Benedikt Frey and Michael Osborne have concluded that credit specialists are at high risk for computerisation.

IT development has been particularly noticeable in the financial field. Banks are no longer the only institutions offering loans; there are now a multitude of credit companies which operate online, and rely on algorithms to decide whether to grant a particular individual a loan, the size of the loan and the interest rate.

The new field of FinTech (financial technology) covers loans, investments, bill payments and other services.

# Administration, accounting and HR

“Administration, data entry and processing are becoming more and more automated,” says Evita Lune, Partner at the Executive Search firm Pedersen & Partners and LMT Smart Future participant.

Technology can facilitate many back-office responsibilities, including data input, record-keeping and project reporting. There are multiple options for electronically issuing, registering and accepting invoices, monitoring budgets, preparing reports, issuing documents and similar tasks.

However, creative and competent consulting cannot be fully automated. Moreover, employers will need specialists with the skills to evaluate and define the content for the necessary reports and data analysis. Administrators and accountants will need to focus more on financial analytics, data interpretation and recommendations for further steps. At the same time, HR specialists will need to take on responsibility for motivating employees and cultivating loyalty, as well as recruitment.

Evita Lune joined Pedersen & Partners in 2005; she is Partner, the Country Manager for Latvia and Head of the Retail Practice Group. As Partner Ms. Lune also takes on regional oversight, and through completing numerous senior level assignments Ms. Lune has established strong cooperation with clients in Poland, the Baltics, Scandinavia, Russia and CIS across such sectors as: Consumer Goods, Retail, Pharmaceutical, Manufacturing and the Professional Services sectors. Her previous experience includes three years with the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga as the Executive MBA Program Director and six years with Shell in international regional marketing management functions in Riga, Budapest and Brussels.

Pedersen & Partners is a leading international Executive Search firm. We operate 56 wholly owned offices in 52 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia & the Americas. Our values Trust, Relationship and Professionalism apply to our interaction with clients as well as executives. More information about Pedersen & Partners is available at www.pedersenandpartners.com

If you would like to conduct an interview with a representative of Pedersen & Partners, or have other media-related requests, please contact: Diana Danu, Marketing and Communications Manager at: diana.danu@pedersenandpartners.com

Riga, Latvia – The world of work is in a state of flux, with many occupations disappearing and transforming while new professions emerge.  The new professions are mainly related to technology and the development of tools and processes, but their defining characteristic is the absence of geographical boundaries.

These changes are stimulated by the widespread availability of information and technology, the ever-increasing speed of processes and globalization, new discoveries in medicine and space exploration, political upheavals, climate change, and new methods of energy generation and resource extraction.

In the following articles, professionals from various fields share their opinions on topical issues regarding future professions. One of the experts is Evita Lune, Partner and Country Manager for Latvia at Pedersen & Partners.

In Evita’s opinion, many professions have equally good global and domestic prospects. Latvian specialists are ready, willing and able to compete in the global market, especially in professions without geographical boundaries, such as digital image manager, online tutor and personal telemedicine physician. These professions mainly relate to online communication and the replacement of physical processes with virtual processes, as more and more people do business online.

Telemedicine in particular is a very exciting prospect; in the future, patients will provide samples and images to a personal telemedicine physician using a smartphone. The physician will then prescribe the necessary medication and send the prescription to the pharmacy, which in turn will deliver the drugs directly to the patient. Evita foresees that in the future, key professions will include biomedicine engineer (who will grow artificial organs for transplant), nanotechnologist, drone traffic controller and nuclear plant demolition specialist, with everything relying on the talent and achievements of local specialists.

Pedersen & Partners is one of the fastest-growing, fully integrated Executive Search firms worldwide; it is 100% owned by its partners who all work full-time to serve its clients. The firm celebrated its 15th anniversary in January 2016, and to mark this occasion, it has created a timeline web page, featuring key milestones for the firm’s development and has released an anniversary video.

Evita Lune joined Pedersen & Partners in 2005; she is Partner, the Country Manager for Latvia and Head of the Retail Practice Group. As Partner Ms. Lune also takes on regional oversight, and through completing numerous senior level assignments Ms. Lune has established strong cooperation with clients in Poland, the Baltics, Scandinavia, Russia and CIS across such sectors as: Consumer Goods, Retail, Pharmaceutical, Manufacturing and the Professional Services sectors. Her previous experience includes three years with the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga as the Executive MBA Program Director and six years with Shell in international regional marketing management functions in Riga, Budapest and Brussels.

Pedersen & Partners is a leading international Executive Search firm. We operate 56 wholly owned offices in 52 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia & the Americas. Our values Trust, Relationship and Professionalism apply to our interaction with clients as well as executives. More information about Pedersen & Partners is available at www.pedersenandpartners.com

If you would like to conduct an interview with a representative of Pedersen & Partners, or have other media-related requests, please contact: Diana Danu, Marketing and Communications Manager at: diana.danu@pedersenandpartners.com

Riga, Latvia – This year, Latvia was ranked 15th in the Global Gender Equality Index published by the World Economic Forum. This achievement is borne out by the number of influential and successful women in the country.

In 2015, Forbes Latvia expanded the individual rankings for Most Influential Business Women in Latvia from 25 to 35, evaluating only female millionaires and managers who have achieved success in their own right. Forbes evaluated their capital and the financial performance of their companies, including scope, size, growth, export and headcount. The rankings also considered the media image and social activities of Latvian businesswomen, with bonus points being given for outstanding achievements and deducted for bad reputation.

A total of 12 criteria were assessed in the evaluation process.

20th place: Evita Lune 

Five years ago, Evita Lune became a partner at the Executive Search firm Pedersen & Partners, which has offices in 52 countries. Last year, she increased her share in the company. Evita has delivered projects throughout Europe, as well as in Colombia, Mexico and Brazil. In 2015, Ms. Lune’s geographical responsibility expanded, and she is now responsible for managing the firm’s operations in the Baltics, Poland, and also Belarus. Ms. Lune is also the Head of the Global Retail Practice Group at Pedersen & Partners.

Pedersen & Partners is one of the fastest-growing, fully integrated Executive Search firms worldwide; it is 100% owned by its partners who all work full-time to serve its clients. The firm celebrated its 15th anniversary in January 2016, and to mark this occasion, it has created a timeline web page, featuring key milestones for the firm’s development and has released an anniversary video.

Pedersen & Partners is a leading international Executive Search firm. We operate 56 wholly owned offices in 52 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia & the Americas. Our values Trust, Relationship and Professionalism apply to our interaction with clients as well as executives. More information about Pedersen & Partners is available at www.pedersenandpartners.com

If you would like to conduct an interview with a representative of Pedersen & Partners, or have other media-related requests, please contact: Diana Danu, Marketing and Communications Manager at: diana.danu@pedersenandpartners.com

Riga, Latvia – Evita Lune, Partner at Pedersen & Partners speaks to Ir Nauda for the Business Etiquette column.

With employers thinking globally, virtual interviews are now routine. “At least one-third of our interviews are managed remotely, although no final decisions are made without meeting the candidate in-person. We use multiple strategies for meeting our final candidates,” says Evita Lune, Partner at international Executive Search firm Pedersen & Partners.

“People do not always understand that a virtual interview should be treated as seriously as a face-to-face conversation. Firstly, the candidate should find an appropriate environment that looks professional – a quiet place with a neutral background, ideally a dedicated meeting room. Secondly, the candidate should be on time or a couple of minutes early. Thirdly, the candidate should dress formally for the video interview. Choose a colour that works well with your skin tone; red, orange and bright green are not recommended, but a dark suit and white shirt work well for men, while white, blue and grey are good on women. It is best to conduct a test video interview in advance to see how you look on camera.

Does your outfit look good? Are your gestures and posture natural and confident? Do your homework for the virtual interview – find out about the person who will lead the interview, prepare a couple of ice-breaking phrases and questions. Your first impression has great power. Phone interviews should not be perceived as a casual chat, and cannot be combined with driving or shopping. If possible, a video interview is better than a phone interview, as a picture creates a stronger image than a disembodied voice. Presenting yourself well in a virtual interview is an important skill set that should be acquired, practiced and perfected. A virtual interview is a purposeful meeting – to evaluate whether you fit the offered position.”

Pedersen & Partners is one of the fastest-growing, fully integrated Executive Search firms worldwide; it is 100% owned by its partners who all work full-time to serve its clients. The firm celebrated its 15th anniversary in January 2016, and to mark this occasion, it has created a timeline web page, featuring key milestones for the firm’s development and has released an anniversary video.

Evita Lune joined Pedersen & Partners in 2005; she is Partner, the Country Manager for Latvia and Head of the Retail Practice Group. As Partner Ms. Lune also takes on regional oversight, and through completing numerous senior level assignments Ms. Lune has established strong cooperation with clients in Poland, the Baltics, Scandinavia, Russia and CIS across such sectors as: Consumer Goods, Retail, Pharmaceutical, Manufacturing and the Professional Services sectors. Her previous experience includes three years with the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga as the Executive MBA Program Director and six years with Shell in international regional marketing management functions in Riga, Budapest and Brussels.

Pedersen & Partners is a leading international Executive Search firm. We operate 56 wholly owned offices in 52 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia & the Americas. Our values Trust, Relationship and Professionalism apply to our interaction with clients as well as executives. More information about Pedersen & Partners is available at www.pedersenandpartners.com

If you would like to conduct an interview with a representative of Pedersen & Partners, or have other media-related requests, please contact: Diana Danu, Marketing and Communications Manager at: diana.danu@pedersenandpartners.com

Riga, Latvia – Evita Lune, Partner at Pedersen & Partners shares her insights with „Dienas Bizness“ on executive compensation for Latvian top managers.

The average salaries of top executives in Latvia are increasing in line with global trends, especially for managers in Finance and IT.

In 2015, the annual gross compensation for top executives in the world’s largest companies averaged 1.45 million Euros, an increase of 3.8% over the previous year. In Latvia, the annual gross compensation for top executives increased by 3.2% in 2015.

“It is difficult to compare the compensation of top executives in Latvia with that of their Western European and American counterparts, because company turnover and profit determine the compensation package. In Latvia, even the largest companies only have turnover of around 1 billion Euros, so 120-150 thousand Euros gross annual salary can be considered as good compensation for top executives in Latvia,” explains Ms. Lune.

Evita Lune joined Pedersen & Partners in 2005; she is Partner, the Country Manager for Latvia and Head of the Retail Practice Group. As Partner Ms. Lune also takes on regional oversight, and through completing numerous senior level assignments Ms. Lune has established strong cooperation with clients in Poland, the Baltics, Scandinavia, Russia and CIS across such sectors as: Consumer Goods, Retail, Pharmaceutical, Manufacturing and the Professional Services sectors. Her previous experience includes three years with the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga as the Executive MBA Program Director and six years with Shell in international regional marketing management functions in Riga, Budapest and Brussels.

Pedersen & Partners is a leading international Executive Search firm. We operate 56 wholly owned offices in 52 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia & the Americas. Our values Trust, Relationship and Professionalism apply to our interaction with clients as well as executives. More information about Pedersen & Partners is available at www.pedersenandpartners.com

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