Chambers and FICIL discuss the investment climate

Nov 13, 2015

Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija, Elizabetes 55

The 1st Sentiment Index 2015 of the Foreign Investor's Council in Latvia (FICIL) and the Centre of Sustainable Business at the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga has recently been published and presented to the Government of Latvia.

FICIL in cooperation with the American, British, Danish, German, Norwegian, Swedish and Swiss Chambers of Commerce in Latvia held a Joint Business Luncheon on the investment climate in Latvia 2015 on November 13 at Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija. Joining as a keynote speaker was Dr. Arnis Sauka, the lead author of the Sentiment Index, Associate Professor of SSE Riga.

The report, based on a qualitative survey of 28 foreign investors in Latvia, summarizes key areas of success and improvement with the aim to foster more evidence-based policy decisions and a more favorable investment and business climate.

Dr. Arnis Sauka presented the main findings and discussed:

Why foreign investors decide to invest in Latvia?
What are their main concerns?
How do they see the future?
Does Latvia stand out as an obvious destination of foreign investments?
What can the business community do to assist?

About Speaker
Dr. Arnis Sauka is an Assistant Professor and Director of the Centre for Sustainable Business at the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga (SSE Riga). Prior to joining the doctoral program at the University of Siegen (Germany), Arnis was a visiting PhD candidate at Jönköping International Business School (Sweden) and a teaching fellow at SSEES/University College London (U.K.).

He has had extensive practical experience in management and consultancy, including working as Vice Rector for studies and research at Ventspils University College, where he also established and led the Centre for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Regional Studies (2011-2013), a consultant at Ventspils Free Port (2011-2012), a senior consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers (2008), amongst others.

His main research interests are related to shadow economy, internationalization of companies, entrepreneurship policies, business strategies, competitiveness and social contribution of entrepreneurs.