Gunta Jēkabsone, Chairman of the Board of AST, and Arnis Daugulis, Member of the Board for Development, will take office

News

On Thursday, July 15, the new members of the Board of JSC Augstsprieguma tīkls (AST) will take office - Chairman of the Board Gunta Jēkabsone and Member of the Board for Development Arnis Daugulis. The two new members of the Board were selected and approved by the Council of AST on a competitive basis in accordance with the recommendations of the Nomination Committee.

"AST's strategic goals are full of challenges - by 2025, when the synchronization of the Baltic electricity networks with Europe is planned, AST will have to make a number of extensive preparations and introduce new technologies never used in Latvia before. At the same time, dynamic development of the company is planned to facilitate the commitment to climate neutrality and the integration of large-scale renewable energy in the transmission system. The planned debut in the bond market to obtain the necessary financing for development will also be a challenge, but I am confident that together with the AST team we will be able to meet the targets", says G. Jēkabsone, talking about the challenges of the new position.

"My previous experience with the introduction of information technology in the energy sector is closely linked to the digital transformation initiated by AST, which I will now continue not only as part of the management team, but also as a member of the board. I will also continue the course in the development of the transmission system to provide infrastructure on the basis of which to apply technologies that will ensure more flexible system operation, integrating large-scale renewable energy resources, controlling operating frequency and balancing electricity production with consumption ", says A. Daugulis, when speaking about his new challenges.

G. Jēkabsone's previous professional work experience, including the last six years as CEO, is related to the largest fuel retail network in Latvia, SIA "Circle K Latvia", which is part of an international company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. At the same time, as the Chairman of the Board, Gunta Jēkabsone has also been active in the Foreign Investors' Council in Latvia (FICIL). She has obtained a master's degree in business management, as well as supplemented her knowledge in various business management programs at the Riga School of Economics, Cornell University in the USA, as well as at the London Business School.

Until now, A. Daugulis was the Head of the Information Technology Department of AST, as well as gained significant professional experience in the position of Deputy State Secretary for Information and Communication Technologies of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development and a member of the Board of Latvenergo AS (IT and telecommunications). Arnis Daugulis holds a master's degree in electrical science and is a licensee of engineering at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm (Sweden).

A total of 54 applications were received, of which 29 applications were submitted for the position of the Chairman of the Board, while 25 applications were submitted for the position of a member of the Board (development branch).

The selection process in cooperation with the personnel selection company Amrop was ensured by the Nomination Committee established by the Council of AST with voting rights in the following composition: Chairman of the Committee – Chairman of the Council of AST Kaspars Āboliņš, Nomination Committee members – Deputy Chairman of the Council of AST Olga Bogdanova, AST council members Aigars Ģērmanis and Armands Eberhards, Dzintra Gasūne, Head of the Capital Management Division of the Interdepartmental Coordination Center, Dace Helmane, Head of the Association for Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility, and Aivars Āboliņš, Chairman of the Latvian Trade Union "Energy".

The nomination process for the position of Chairman of the Board of AST and Board Member (Development division) took place in several rounds and included an in-depth assessment of the following competencies: strategic vision, change management, development orientation, team management, building and maintaining positive relationships; decision-making and responsibility, focus on the achievement of results.

Members of the Board Imants Zviedris, Gatis Junghāns and Mārcis Kauliņš , will continue their work in the Board of JSC Augstsprieguma tīkls.