VA Government. Public Affairs Services in Latvia.

Vladlens Kovaļevs

Managing Partner

Vladlens Kovaļevs is a managing partner of VA Government. Vladlens has been involved in assistance of multiple businesses in tech, telecommunication, financial, manufacturing, international and defense sectors. He specializes in government affairs and coalition management, as well as international and financial communications related to regulated transactions. Vladlens holds a BSc degree in Economics and Business from the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga and has completed Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute at American University. Alongside tech, foreign affairs and modern European history, Vladlens is interested in active civic participation in the fields of non-governmental and public benefit organizations.

Ralfs Vīlands

Partner

Ralfs Vīlands is a strategic partner of VA Government. Ralfs has represented clients from energy, pharmaceutical, automotive, telecommunications, tobacco, retail and FMCG industries. In his portfolio are such clients as Uber, BP, airBaltic, Swedbank, Kuwait Energy, Food Union, Pretkorupciju.lv, Maxima and others. He focuses on political communications and issues management. Ralfs is interested in geopolitcs, quality literature and cinematography.

Kirils Teniševs

Senior Public Affairs Consultant

Kirils joined VA Government in 2021. He works with clients from FinTech, defence, pharma, energy and media industries.
Kirils supports clients through strategic advocacy advice and analysis of Latvian and EU policy and regulation discussions. He provides policy analysis, legislative and regulatory monitoring, identifying legislative threats and opportunities, targeting and engaging key stakeholders. His mission is to build bridges between policy-makers and industries, reach mutual understanding and build common solutions to modern societal issues.
Kirils has obtained a master’s degree in Political Theory and Comparative Politics and a bachelor’s degree in International Relations – European Studies. His previous experience is related to serving as an Adviser at the Parliament of Latvia and at the Embassy of South Korea.

Baiba Logina

Senior Public Affairs Consultant

Baiba joined VA Government in 2023. Baiba has more than ten years experience in the state administration. She has worked in the Ministry of Economics developing renewable energy and transport energy policies to improve regulation of the energy sector. Baiba has also gained experience at the Ministry of Transport in railway policy planning and the implementation of a large-scale project. Her experience and knowledge allow Baiba to professionally assess the needs and opportunities of clients in the energy sector and others that are crucial for the economy and are consequently affected by sustainable development trends.
As part of the VA Government team, Baiba applies her previous experience and in-depth knowledge to review and analyse relevant political, legislative and public policy information.
Baiba is convinced that openness is a cornerstone of mutual trust in the long term, not only in business relations but also in private-sector cooperation with the public sector.
Baiba has obtained a master's degree in International Law and a bachelor's degree in International Relations - European Studies.

Līva Šteinberga

Senior Public Affairs Consultant

Līva joined VA Government in 2023, primarily assisting FMCG businesses. She has more than 8 years of experience in various policy-making positions while acquiring in-depth knowledge of the public and private sectors, fostering mutual cooperation. Līva has spent four years in the Latvian Foreign Service working on external economic relations and development cooperation issues. As a Policy Expert at the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for over four years, Līva gained extensive experience in representing interests involving industries like health, education and construction, to name a few. Līva has demonstrated a history of implementing initiatives, stakeholder engagement and has led various projects. She has received a master’s degree in Cross-cultural studies and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science while continuously advancing her expertise in project management and technology. Līva believes in application of democratic principles in policy-making and is an avid cyclist in Riga.

Jānis Kažociņš

Senior Advisor

With 30 years in the British Army, in 2002, Jānis Kažociņš retired early from the British Armed Forces in the rank of Brigadier. Jānis Kažociņš was the Director of the Constitution Protection Bureau (Latvia’s external intelligence service) from 2003 until 2013. During 2011 he was Chairman of NATO’s Civilian Intelligence Committee. Additionally, he has been an Advisor to the Ministers of Defence and Foreign Affairs. From 2016 until 2023, he was the National Security Adviser to two Presidents of Latvia and Secretary of the National Security Council.

VA GOVERNMENT:

Vladlens Kovaļevs

Managing Partner

Ralfs Vīlands

Partner

Kirils Teniševs

Senior Public Affairs Consultant

Baiba Logina

Senior Public Affairs Consultant

Līva Šteinberga

Senior Public Affairs Consultant

Jānis Kažociņš

Senior Advisor

Services

National Government Relations

Having a broad network of contacts on a national level allows us to reach key decision-makers in the parliament, ministries, and regulatory agencies. Strategically forward thinking mapping and efficient engagement of the shareholders ensures helps our clients to reach their goals and boost their legislative agenda.

Campaign Advocacy

To foster public dialogue on an issue or support legislative agenda, grassroots advocacy is a vital tool. Public support and opinion are essential to reach major policy goals aimed at society-wide changes in legislation or regulation. This may be achieved by digital and media campaigns to raise public awareness of the relevant matter. With the growing digital presence of the relevant stakeholders, digital advocacy tools allow us to educate and activate society in order to achieve policy goals.

Association Management

Even an ideal legislative proposal cannot be passed without the support of multiple stakeholder groups. Cooperation with the relevant business associations as well as NGOs creates a broad range of support allowing to make an official industry position used on local or EU levels. Industry association activation, strategy development, and execution may help to amplify the industry's stand on the relevant matters.

Policy Analysis & Issue Monitoring

Also, in times of stability and prosperity, there is a need to prepare for a crisis. Maintenance of the status quo or active changes in the regulatory environment requires issue monitoring and consecutive management. Assessment of upcoming risks and challenges from regulators, policymakers and the executive branch allows us to protect the business interests of our clients. Preparing regulatory and media monitoring on the relevant matters allows the client to track the relevant activities and prepare the most effective strategy.

Political Intelligence

The policy is often driven by politics. A deep insight into the existing political environment gives us the ability to measure and predict actions of political circles, affecting businesses and other stakeholders. Political intelligence is critical in times of substantial change, pre- and post- elections, as well as in the daily operations to stay one step ahead of the competitors.

Municipalities & Local Authorities

Local authorities play an important role in the Latvian political environment. It often affects not only regional but also national matters. Proper dialogue by acknowledging the specifics of an individual municipality allows us to reach the goals set by our clients on the regional and national levels.

Financial Services

From the traditional banking industry to the tech-driven fintech, financial services is a thriving field with substantial regulatory challenges. The digitalization of the financial sector imposes new regulatory discussions among the regulators. Compliance with anti-money laundering regulation, local fintech legislative framework – are all issues to be addressed by regulators and businesses.

Technology and Digitalization

Rapid technological advancement creates a demand for previously non-existent regulation. European Union (EU) and local level digital transformation requires new regulatory frameworks for companies operating in the fast-growing technology sector. Industry-level cooperation through associations allows shaping local positions on EU regulations to accommodate successful digital transformation.

Healthcare

Healthcare policy poses a substantial issue for national legislators as it is a crucial facet for society and regulates a multi-layered supply chain. The local industry has to navigate the policymakers' expectations and the market situation. The spread of Covid-19 has shown that global healthcare crises demand higher levels of healthcare funding as well as shape new priorities for the regulators. We, in VA Government, help regulators to understand and see the broader picture, taking into account the best interests of patients and businesses.

FMCG

The industry has to face various regulatory frameworks regarding the packaging, composition of the food and responsible advertising. Sustainable food chains and production is the future, highlighted also on the EU level. The European Green Deal poses new challenges for the FMCG industry. Our experience in the FMCG industry gives us an opportunity to help clients to reach their objectives, by partnering with industry associations and educating the policymakers on the local and EU levels. Changes in the taxation system as well as additional restrictions may harm the industry, but not solve the negative aspects caused by excess consumption of the taxed products. Well positioned communication of industry activities to the regulatory bodies may foster its economic potential while protecting society from the negative aspects of excess consumption.

Energy & Environment

Issues of renewable energy, its production, and daily use in different sectors of the economy will exponentially grow in importance, driven by a cleaner energy trend. Implementation of new strategies to tackle plastic litter and to support innovative and sustainable packaging industries are on agenda for many businesses setting their internal sustainability goals. Clean energy, preserving biodiversity, circular economy, and carbon neutrality are just some of the aspects covered by the European Green Deal indicating that these will be the fields of interest for continuous improvement and up to date regulations. Agriculture and forestry are one of the key industries for the Latvian economy thus it is important for policymakers to find a compromise between boosting the economic impact and encouraging sustainable practices.

Infrastructure & Transport

As the industry relies on various procurements it involves political interest. The industry requires an understanding of the specifics of the local politics to be able to navigate among the local players as well as establish a presence among the local stakeholders and media. Stakeholder mapping, analysis of local competition and legislation, creating the media presence are just some of the steps to build a local presence for foreign clients. Expertise in local procurements and establishing industry-specific legislation allows us to create a strategy curated for the client.

Public Affairs Services in Latvia

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Rud Pedersen Group