Friday News: 23 September 2016

Dear Members and Friends,

Yesterday we had the Joint Chamber Luncheon with NATO Force Integration Unit Latvia - Providing Security for Business Growth and Investments. To read more please scroll down.

In just 4 days, on Tuesday 27 September BritCham's first Monthly Dinner of the new season will take place. The guest speaker will be Tim Colley, Head of the Mission at the British Embassy Riga who hopes that his speech will evolve into a discussion regarding topics relevant to BritCham members. Today is one of the last days that you can still sign-up for this event.

Contents

Upcoming Events

• Monthly Dinner with Tim Colley, Head of the Mission at the British Embassy Riga on 27 September UPDATED
• Save the date - morning of the 12 October! New BritCham event coming soon...
• Save the date! New Members' Evening on 18 October 

News

• Joint Chamber Luncheon with NATO Integration Unit NEW
• BritCham Season Opening: 10th Annual Curry Cook-Off on 13 September 
• Update on FICIL Work Groups NEW
• Jaguar - the Art Performance Tour NEW
• Seed Forum Riga Investor Conference NEW
• King’s College, the British School of Latvia inaugurates a new Admissions Office in Riga 
• Last Chance to Apply for Master’s Degree at RISEBA University for 2016/2017 AY LAST CALL

Member to Member Offers

• Member to Member Offer of the Week NEW

Upcoming Events

Monthly Dinner with Tim Colley, Head of the Mission at the British Embassy Riga

View full size poster here.

It is our pleasure to invite you to Monthly Dinner with Tim Colley, Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Riga: "Brexit three months after: Keep Calm and Carry On?" on 27 September.

During the evening you will also have the chance to find out about the British Embassy's plans and course of action for this season. As those who have met him will agree, Mr Colley takes a keen interest in the progress of all the main issues in UK and Latvia and is an avid conversationalist regarding any topic. Mr Colley hopes that his speech will evolve into a discussion regarding topics relevant to BritCham members. 

Do not miss the opportunity to discuss your concerns and ask your Brexit questions.

Date&Time: Tuesday, 27 September 18:30
Venue: Mercure Riga Centre Hotel, "Work&Play Bar" and "Biblioteka", Elizabetes iela 101, Riga
Admission: EUR 45 for members; EUR 60 for non-members (including 3 course menu and wine)
Registration: website sign-up, email events@britcham.lv or 25 45 6000

The menu of the evening:

Carrot cream soup with croutons, greens and pesto
***
Pork medallions in red wine sauce, served with grilled vegetables
OR
Sea bass with citrus-butter dressing, served with grilled vegetables
OR 
Grilled vegetables with mashed potato and greens, oven baked stuffed tomato with Parmesan and pesto
***
Apple tart with vanilla sauce

When signing up, please choose the main course. If the information will not be provided, the main course will automatically be Pork medallions.

*The deadline for cancellation is 15.00 on 23 September 2016. BritCham reserves the right to charge participants who do not cancel their reservation before the set deadline.

News

Joint Chamber Luncheon with NATO Force Integration Unit Latvia

On 22 September together with the American, Canadian, Norwegian and Swedish Chambers of Commerce we had the Joint Chamber Luncheon with NATO Force Integration Unit (NFIU) Latvia. 

NFIU Latvia is one of six first-wave NFIUs (together with those established in Estonia, Poland, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Romania) who's primary responsibility is to facilitate the rapid deployment of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) and other NATO Response Force (NRF) elements at high readiness levels in order to enhance Alliance responsiveness.

At the Luncheon the keynote speaker was Lieutenant Colonel Simon Badman from Great Britain, who was joined on the stage by Major Ilmārs Šķesters and Jūlija Rumjanceva from Latvia, Major Andrew Carrigan from the United States, Major Bjorn Vikas and Major Beathe-Kristin Andestad from Norway. Mr Badman gave an overview of the establishment of the headquarters, the tasks and ongoing activities of NFIU as well as the security challenges in the region and the opportunities for cooperation with the business community.

The attendees of the event were interested in the current security threats Latvia faces and the role of NATO and NFIU in Latvia in providing security for business growth and investment. According to Lt Col Simon Badman: “NATO is fully aware of the spectrum of threats and therefore the alliance is taking very serious steps and the action is on the way to address them.”

The event was supported by Latvian Shipping Hawks and Law Firm Triniti.

You can find out more about NFIU Latvia here. Or take a look at the NFIU's presentation here.

BritCham Season Opening: 10th Annual Curry Cook-Off

On 13 September BritCham opened it's new Season with a gastronomic bang! 

We would like to believe that for some very good deeds we all were rewarded with amazing weather. It turned Albert Hotel's Star Lounge into a sun lounge and ensured that everyone was smiling even before the curries were served. As expected the other Curry Cook-Off trade marks - laid back atmosphere and highly pleasant company - were obvious from the very beginning and we trust that the guests and teams all had a very enjoyable evening.

Read more about it here.

Update on FICIL Work Groups

At the start of the new autumn season the Foreign Investors' Council in Latvia (FICIL) has sent an update on the status of their work groups. In this newsletter you can find a list of FICIL's recent work groups and a short description of issues the group has been lately focusing on, as well as sign up to a group.

We would like to encourage our members to sign up to the work groups of your interest – this is your possibility to follow and influence the work of the respective group. Those who are already members of a group, need not to re-apply. Also, depending on your interest and activity, FICIL will be able to see which sectors and areas they need to address at the next year’s High Council meeting.

In case you encounter any problem signing up, please do contact FICIL office by email ficil@ficil.lv

Jaguar - the Art Performance Tour

The driving experience in a Jaguar cannot be compared to anything else. Enjoy it yourself - take part in the Art of Performance Tour in Riga, Latvia!

For your test drive now are available the Jaguar XE sports sedan, the business-class sedan Jaguar XF, the new, powerful SUV Jaguar the Jaguar F-PACE and sports car the Jaguar F-TYPE.

You just have to choose the model you desire and agree on the time! That can be done here.

Seed Forum Riga Investor Conference

BritCham Members and friends are kindly invited to participate in Seed Forum Riga Investor conference on Thursday 13 October 2016 kindly hosted in the Conference hall Citadele, Republikas laukums 2A, Riga, 3rd floor (entrance from the river's side).

Seed Forum Riga Investor conference is a match-making event for financial investors (private investors and venture capital funds) and perspective growth companies from Latvia and neighboring countries, who have participated in Seed Forum Process, have been educated, trained and deemed suitable subsequent to a selection process by the Seed Forum Selection Panel and now - are looking for financial investors to develop further their business concepts.

Read full description here.

Please register here.

Should you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Elina Fomina at +371 29420055 or elina@seedforum.org

King’s College, the British School of Latvia inaugurates a new Admissions Office in Riga

Read full article here.

Nicholas Fry, King’s College, Chief Development Officer of King’s Group, has inaugurated a new Admissions Office in Riga for the new school King’s College Latvia, to be opened in September 2017.

“Education is, arguably, Britain's greatest and most appreciated export. As the person responsible for the expansion of King's Group's already extensive network of schools it is a great honour to welcome King's College, The British School of Latvia, to our Group. We continue to be committed to delivering quality, excellence and success through education and firmly believe Latvia to be the perfect place to add a new member to our family", said Nicholas Fry.

Last Chance to Apply for Master’s Degree at RISEBA University for 2016/2017 AY

RISEBA University offers a 10% discount on all postgraduate studies delivered in English!

Choose one of the available Business or Arts related postgraduate programmes and apply today.

For more information, please contact RISEBA University information centre at +371 67 500 265, +371 26465351 or riseba@riseba.lv.

Please see detailed information about postgraduate study programmes here.

Study at RISEBA University - the place where Business meets Arts!

Member to Member Offers

Member to Member Offer

Did you know that Radisson Blu Daugava Hotel offers BritCham Members regular offers?

10% discount on room retail rate

and

10% off on a la carte menu at the restaurant

You can find the hotel at 24 Kugu Street, Riga.

For details contact Vineta Reknere +371 6706 1147 or at vineta.reknere@radissonblu.com

View the offer here.

Check Out Current Member-to-Member Offers, Use Them Actively & Add Your Offer.

Gallery of Past Events

BritCham Platinum Members

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You can do it by contacting Santa Rudzite by e-mail santa.rudzite@britcham.lv or by calling: (+371) 25 45 6000. Please point out when you would like the information to be published; however, if you wish the information to be published in the current week's Friday News, it needs to be sent in by Wednesday afternoon. Information received latter will be published in the next week’s Friday News.