Tomass Pildegovičs currently serves as an Advisor to the Latvian Foreign Minister on Security and Societal Resilience. From 2022-2024, he worked as a Senior Expert at the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence. Prior to that, he served as a Policy Advisor in the European Parliament, working on issues related to foreign interference in democratic processes, hybrid threats, and EU-Russia relations.

Tomass is currently a PhD candidate in Politics and International Relations at the University of Cambridge, where he also completed his MPhil in Politics and International Relations with Distinction. He also holds a BA in International Relations with First Class Honours from the Department of War Studies, King’s College London.

He has also been named a CEPA Transatlantic Denton Fellow (2024), a Warsaw Security Forum New Security Leader (2023), and GLOBSEC Young Leader in Security and Defence (2021).

Siim Tammer is a Member of the Management Board of Finantsinspektsioon, responsible for corporate governance issues (including licensing), all legal issues (including fit and proper, withdrawal of licenses, representation in court), innovation and sanctions in the Estonian financial sector. He has also been an active chairman of the Auditors Oversight Board for seven years, building up the supervision in Estonia. Siim is also a voting member of the EIOPA Board of Supervisors. Before joining the FSA as a lawyer, he worked in different law firms.    

Siim is doing his PhD at Tartu University, focusing on financial law, analyzing the bank resolution framework. 

Jakub Wieclaw joined the board of AS Magnetiq Bank in January 2025. With over 15 years of experience in FinTech and banking technology, he has led strategic business development across Europe. Previously, he was Business Development Director at Aion Bank S.A. and Vodeno Sp. z o.o., spearheading Banking-as-a-Service projects with companies like PayPo, InPost, and ZEN. A financial product expert, he played a key role in launching Belgium’s first fully mobile bank. His expertise in digital transformation has helped modernize traditional banks into neobanks, driving innovation and customer satisfaction.

Akvilė Bosaitė has specialised in banking, finance, investment funds, project financing, restructuring of financing, securities and M&A for over fourteen years. Akvilė is a recommended expert in finance law by international law firm directories. She holds a Master’s degree in Law from Vilnius University and an LL.M. from Erasmus University, Rotterdam. During her legal practice, Akvilė Bosaitė has led a number of the largest financing, investment funds, capital markets and mergers and acquisitions projects both in Lithuania and foreign jurisdictions.

Roberts Idelsons is the CEO of Signet Bank, a leading corporate and investment bank in the Baltics. Roberts is a seasoned banker with expertise in capital markets, investment banking and asset management. With nearly 30 years of experience, he has played a key role in shaping Latvia’s financial sector and developing local capital markets. After obtaining Master degree from University of Latvia, Roberts began his career at the Riga Stock Exchange and later led Citadele Asset Management and Private Capital Management at Citadele banka, playing a key role in restructuring Parex Banka and establishing Citadele banka. Since 2013 he has led Signet Bank, developing it into a key player in Baltic capital markets focused on providing local companies with access to innovative financing solutions.

Vadims Frolovs is a member of the Management Board at Swedbank Latvia, responsible for overseeing customer experience and sales across all touchpoints, including face-to-face meetings, remote advisory, internet banking/mobile apps, and the ATM network. As customers often report issues with banking services in advance, board assignments towards business continuity, crisis management and  IT-related matters are natural additions.

Vadims began his career at the bank in 2000, shortly after graduating with a degree in Economics from the University of Latvia. For most of his career, he has concentrated on developing customer service and managing sales. He has a 25-year track record in structural integration projects, process optimisation activities, and cross-border cooperation.

Edgars Lodziņš leads the Banking and Finance Practice Group. He has more than 15 years of professional experience in banking and finance, capital markets and M&A field. During his practice, Edgars has successfully advised some of the most significant financing, capital markets and M&A transactions in the region (both Latvian and cross-border) and has earned an excellent reputation for being one of the top specialists in the field. His clients include major international and local credit and financial institutions, private equity and venture capital funds and investors.

Edgars is also a member of the Legal Committee of Latvian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association.

Thomas Köck is the CEO and Co-Founder of pinyya GmbH, a startup specializing in innovative real estate investment solutions. With over two decades of experience in banking, finance, and consulting, Thomas has held key leadership positions, including Chairman of the Board at Bausparkasse der österreichischen Sparkassen AG – a subsidiary of ERSTE BANK – and IMMO-BANK AG. Prior to that, he worked as a management consultant at KPMG, where he specialized in process optimization and risk management for banks. As a trained engineer, Thomas brings a different analytical perspective to evaluating challenges and opportunities in the financial sector. His extensive expertise covers business strategy, risk management, and operational excellence, making him a recognized voice in the financial and real estate sectors.

Faysal Rahman is a Director at Deutsche Bank, serving as the Global Industry Coordinator for Defence.  He built out Deutsche Bank’s Global Defence Strategy, securing regulatory approvals, committing balance sheet resources, expanding client relationships, targeting new defence corporates to onboard, increasing exposure to the industry, finalising a policy-framework and building partnerships with key stakeholders across the industry.  He regularly speaks at defence forums, defence conferences and advises on policies relating to defence.  He is a thought-leader and a real expert in this field as he fully understands the ecosystem as well as the value chain.  Prior to Deutsche Bank, Faysal has had extensive corporate experience across various other geographies. 

Uldis Cērps is a financial risk professional with over 25 years of experience in leadership, executive and non-executive roles across central banking, regulation and financial market infrastructure. Uldis currently serves as CEO of Finance Latvia, a financial sector advocacy group. He is also a Vice President of the Employer’s Confederation of Latvia and member of the Executive Committee of the European Banking Federation.

Uldis’ career demonstrates experience across many sectors within financial services, embracing the perspective of regulated companies, issuers, and regulators.

Monika Koolmeister is a Partner of COBALT Estonia having a 15-year track record as a Banking & Finance attorney. Monika also has valuable experience from a leading commercial bank in Estonia, operating as Head of Compliance and member of the Extended Management Board. Monika has also been in charge of keeping good working relationships with the financial regulators – as Head of Compliance she has served as a contact person to the European Central Bank and the Estonian Financial Supervision Authority. 

She has been a member of the Estonian Bar Association since 2004.

Virginija Gecaite currently leads the European Investment Bank's Baltics Office, the world’s largest multilateral financial institution and one of the biggest providers of climate finance. In this role, she promotes the Bank's financial products and services to market players in the Baltics, while ensuring projects align with the European Union's strategic objectives, including climate and environmental sustainability, cohesion, innovation, and sustainable energy. Prior to this, Virginija served as a Senior Loan Officer in the EIB’s Financial Institutions Department, where she was responsible for structuring and deploying financial instruments, primarily in Northern and Central Eastern Europe. Virginija is an alumnus of Vilnius University and holds a Master’s Degree in Finance from Suffolk University in Boston, USA.

Damyan Popovski is a Senior Loan Officer covering the financial institutions sector within the Baltics Northern and Central regions at the European Investment Bank (EIB) - the largest multilateral development bank in the world. In his current role and prior position within EIB Corporates department, Damyan promotes and structures EIB financial products, while ensuring the investment projects align with the strategic goals of the European Union, such as climate and environment, sustainable transport, gender equality, cohesion, and innovation. He works with a wide range of financial instruments that include portfolio guarantees, securitisations (true-sale and capital relief), as well as intermediated loans and tailors financial instruments to optimize client needs.

Eva Suduiko is a Partner and Co-Head of the Banking and Finance Practice Group. She has specialised in banking, finance, capital markets and M&A for over twelve years. Eva gained a Master’s degree in Law from Vilnius University and broadened her experience while working as a visiting lawyer at a leading Nordic law firm Roschier in Helsinki.

During her legal practice, Eva Suduiko has advised clients in a number of M&A transactions, international financing and security arrangements. She constantly advises both local and foreign clients on various regulatory matters, including cross-border provision of services, issue of securities and other capital and financial markets related projects.

​Hiie Ormisson is recognised as a business-oriented lawyer with over 20 years of experience in international consumer financing and banking, with skills to translate legal and regulatory requirements into smooth customer experience and product design. Hiie has led the development of digital consumer lending products and services across several markets globally and has facilitated the offering of payment services under e-money licence in European markets. She takes much pleasure in balancing the consumer protection, business aspirations and compliance.  

Kerstin Pilt has more than 15 years of legal and compliance experience in the banking and finance sector. Currently, Kerstin serves as Chief Compliance Officer at Swedbank Baltics. Prior to joining Swedbank, Kerstin held the position of Head of Legal at Nordea Estonia. Her earlier experiences include working as a legal counsel at the Financial Supervisory Authority and as an attorney at law in some of Estonia’s leading law firms. She has an LL.M degree in International Business law and an MSc degree in Digital Transformation. Kerstin is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS®) and belongs to ACAMS Baltic Chapter Board.

Kaarel Eller is a Specialist Counsel of the COBALT Estonian banking and finance practice group. Kaarel has extensive experience in the public sector, including long experience in the Ministry of Finance, where he held various positions in the Financial Markets Department and later on as the Head of the Legal Department. There he was tasked with drafting some major legislative acts for the Estonian financial sector, including the first Estonian covered bond act and transposing PSD2 into the Estonian payment institutions and e-money institutions act. Prior to joining COBALT, Kaarel worked for an international law firm.

Kristjan-Mart Piirsalu is an Investment Manager at the SmartCap Defence Fund, focused on developing the Estonian defence industry and advancing innovative defence and security capabilities. He is a highly regarded professional with extensive experience in private equity deal structuring, strategic value creation, corporate finance, M&A, and transaction advisory. Kristjan-Mart has previously served as an Investment Manager at BaltCap and held financial advisory roles at KPMG and LHV Asset Management. 

Santa Purgaile is a Deputy Governor of Latvijas Banka since 1 January 2023. 

She was a Chairperson of the Financial and Capital Market Commission (FCMC)  since 24 October 2019 to 31 December 2022 (as of 1 January 2023, the FCMC was integrated into Latvijas Banka).

Santa is a Member of the Supervisory Board of the European Central Bank, as well as Alternate Board Member at European Securities and Markets Authority and European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority.

Santa Purgaile holds a master degree in international economics and business. Previously, Santa Purgaile had more than 20 years’ experience in banking industry. 

Denas Jonas Gadeikis leads the Payment and Electronic Money Institutions Supervision Division at the Bank of Lithuania. With more than four years of experience in regulatory oversight, he is a seasoned expert in prudential supervision within the payments sector. Additionally, he represents the Bank of Lithuania in various international forums, including PSD3/PSR negotiations at the Council of the European Union, EBA Crypto-Assets Standing Committee. 

Mikus Janvars is a co-Founder and Managing Partner at Merito Partners. He has over 20 years experience in finance, including 10+ years in investment banking and 5 years in investment management. Mikus has worked on and executed a number of M&A transactions and is involved in all aspects of operations at Merito, including fundraising, transaction execution, portfolio management and compliance.

Marina Kotkas is a Partner and co-chair of the Banking & Finance practice group at COBALT Estonia. Marina has extensive experience in advising Estonian and cross-border financing and capital market transactions, including project, real estate and acquisition financing, refinancing, public offerings and private placements of capital securities and debt instruments and admitting thereof for trading on regulated markets, public M&A and tender offers. Marina is the regular adviser to the largest local and international credit and financial institutions and, in addition to financing and capital markets transactions, her expertise also covers assisting with mergers, sale of loan portfolios and all regulatory aspects of the activities of banks and financial institutions. Marina’s clientele also includes listed companies, local and international private equity houses and industrial investors whom she advises on capital raising and public M&A transactions and the variety of regulatory issues. Marina is also known for her vast experience in aircraft financing field.

Piotr is the New Markets Lead at the European Payment Initiative (EPI), responsible for market expansion strategy, stakeholder relations, and onboarding new markets. He manages key expansion projects, engaging with banks, acquirers, and central banks to facilitate EPI’s growth.

Before EPI, Piotr worked in insurance (Achmea), banking (ING), software development (Opera), and payments (BLIK), contributing to global product launches. He completed the executive program at Stanford Graduate School of Business (2022), and holds an MA from the University of Tartu (2012), and a BA from Warsaw University of Technology (2010). Passionate about mentoring, Piotr supports young professionals as EPI builds a pan-European payment scheme.

Dr Piotr Gałązka is a Doctor of Law, attorney-at-law, and an expert in European Union Law. He serves as the Director of the Representation Office in Brussels of the Polish Bank Association. Dr Gałązka graduated from the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Warsaw, and the School of British and European Union Law at the Universities of Cambridge and Warsaw. Piotr completed his doctorate in European Union Law at the Faculty of Law, Administration and Economics at the University of Wrocław. He is the Secretary of the Court of Arbitration at the Polish Bank Association and a member of the Legal Committee of the European Banking Federation. Additionally, Dr Gałązka is a member of the Stakeholders Council of the European Centre at the University of Warsaw and an expert at Team Europe Direct of the European Commission Representation in Poland. 

Edgars Pastars is the Head of the Financial Regulatory and Compliance Practice at COBALT Latvia. He is an ACAMS Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) and a Certified Global Sanctions Specialist (CGSS). Edgars has extensive experience in matters related to banking and finance, providing advice on legal issues, compliance (Moneyval evaluation), risk management, capital markets (including covered bonds, securitisation, pension funds), consumer credit and payments (including PSD2 implementation). He has represented Latvia’s financial sector at European Banking Federation and Europol working groups.

Mr Garisons is a board member of the Civilian Resilience Nordic (CiReN) organization. CiReN is an NGO aimed at strengthening society, especially the resilience of the non-governmental and commercial sectors, in times of crisis or war. He is also the Chief Executive Office at the unmanned vehicle company NEWT21 and Chairman of the supervisory board at the “State Real Estate” company.

Mr Garisons was the State Secretary of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Latvia for almost nine years (August 2015–January 2024) and was leading the MoD in the challenging times of enlargement of the Armed forces, military infrastructure, deployment of NATO eFP unite, the establishment of the comprehensive defense in Latvia and reinstitution of the conscription. He also lead the efforts to establish defence industry in Latvia, Before taking up this post, Mr Garisons was the Undersecretary of State–Policy Director. He has worked in different positions at the Ministry of Defence since September 2005.

Before his career in the Ministry of Defence, Mr Garisons worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia from June 1996 until September 2005, and was posted at the Norwegian Embassy.

Lauris Liepa is the Managing Partner of COBALT Latvia. With a legal career spanning over 30 years, Lauris has advised major local and international financial institutions on regulatory and financing matters, including capital market transactions. Additionally, Lauris has led significant M&A and restructuring deals in the banking industry and has represented financial institutions and insurance companies in various disputes, such as shareholder disputes, management liability cases, and cases brought before the Constitutional Court. Throughout his career, Lauris has also served as a member of the Supervisory Committee of Nasdaq Riga.