Courage in Leadership
Leadership isn’t about titles—it’s about the courage to challenge the status quo, make bold decisions, and lead with integrity in times of uncertainty.
Join us for Courage in Leadership, where key stakeholders from the public, private, and civil society sectors will engage in a solutions-driven dialogue on what it takes to lead with conviction in today’s rapidly evolving world.
As Latvia and countries across the world navigate shifting socio-economic, political, and business landscapes—alongside rapid advancements in technology and AI—how do we chart a path forward?
Tentative Overarching Discussion Themes
- Leadership for the Future
- Investments
- AI & Tech
- Navigating Diversity & Inclusionin the current climate
This in-person event will feature interactive roundtable discussions, keynotes, and a panel discussions to foster actionable insights and cross-sector collaboration.
Hosted by Diversify, the Riga Investment and Tourism Agency, Swedbank and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Riga in collaboration with PwC Latvia, Reitan Convenience and DNB.
📍 Date: Thursday, May 22, 2025
⏰ Time: 10.00 – 14.00 EET (Doors open at 09.30 EET)
📍 Location: Swedbank, Balasta dambis 15, Riga, LV, LV-1048
🎟️ Free to attend – Register below!
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This event is part of the Diversify Summit roadshow, a global initiative leading up to the Summit on October 24 in Norway. Diversify Summit is a premier conference where leaders connect, innovate, and tackle urgent societal and workplace challenges under the theme Courage in Action.
To deepen engagement, we’re hosting roadshow events worldwide, bringing together local and global stakeholders.
Upcoming stops include the Netherlands (April 24), Latvia (May 22), Germany (June), Nigeria (August), and more.
Interested in partnering? Contact us at .
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Meet our Speakers:
Agnese Lāce is the Minister for Culture of the Republic of Latvia, with over a decade of experience in migration, integration, and public policy. Her career spans government, international organizations, and research institutions, including work with the European Pact for Integration and the UN Refugee Agency (Geneva).
Before her current role, she served as Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Culture and as a Senior Policy Analyst at the Centre for Public Policy PROVIDUS.
Agnese holds multiple advanced degrees in political science and international migration, and was a PhD candidate in International Relations and Migration at Koç University and the University of Amsterdam, under the Marie Curie INTEGRIM programme.
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Chisom Udeze is the Executive Director of Diversify. She is an accomplished Economist, Strategist, Investor, and Founder with nearly two decades of experience leading impact-driven companies and actioning societal change. She serves on multiple boards, including as chair, and holds advisory roles across three continents.
Her global work spans seven countries and includes collaborations with organizations like the European Commission and Boston Consulting Group. Chisom champions democracy, sustainability, justice, and community driven and multi-stakeholder change-making. She also spearheads the Diversify Summit, a leading conference for leadership and innovation. A passionate advocate for mental health, Chisom enjoys tennis, reading, writing, and has published on Forbes.
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Sandija Novicka is a Partner at COBALT Latvia office and heads the Tax Law practice group. She is an expert in Tax, State Aid, Public Procurement and Insurance matters. Sandija has acted as a lead advisor in large number of complex taxation matters, in particular advising on tax planning and representing clients in tax litigation.
Due to her profound knowledge of broader legal framework Sandija is able to offer the most efficient solutions both in transactional and litigation assignments. Sandija has lectured at the Latvian Judicial Training Center, Latvian School of Public Administration and Riga Graduate School of Law on taxation, EU law and state aid topics and has written extensively on those subjects.
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Zane Čulkstēna is a visionary entrepreneur, strategist, and leader at the intersection of business, culture, and creativity. She is the founder of ERDA, a consultancy specializing in employer branding and organizational development, where she supports businesses in attracting and retaining top talent through innovative strategy and insight.
Zane is also the founder and Chair of kim? contemporary art center, a leading nonprofit promoting contemporary art in Latvia. She serves on the Supervisory Board of the Art Academy of Latvia, bringing her strategic expertise to support the institution’s long-term development. Her work reflects a deep commitment to innovation, impact, and cross-sector transformation.
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Artin Shams leads Swedbank Group’s efforts in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. He has served in advisory roles to senior management and worked as a Senior Project Manager in sustainability. Additionally, he founded Swedbank’s LGBTQ+ network to support diverse communities within the organization.
Artin’s previous experience as a Management Consultant at Oliver Wyman, focusing on strategic topics throughout the European banking industry, has provided him with a deep understanding of the sector. He applies this expertise to drive impactful change within Swedbank. Artin believes that integrating DEI initiatives with business strategies is crucial for achieving sustainable success and promoting an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.
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Agnese Cimdiņa is an internationally certified Diversity Manager and Business Anthropologist. She has contributed to awareness raising, knowledge transfer and consulting in diversity management to local and international organizations since 2019. Agnese has conducted research, led projects, consulted, published, been a lecturer, speaker & moderator on such topics as Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging (DEIB), Diversity Competence and Management, Internationalization of Nordic organizations, Intercultural understanding & Trust, Sustainability & Development, Culture & Business in Nordic, Baltic and Middle East societies.
Agnese holds Masters’ and PhD degrees in Social Anthropology from the University of Bergen (Norway). She has extensive international experience working with Nordic organizations in academic, corporate and diplomatic sectors. Agnese is also a writer and has recently published a monograph “Searching Sustainability in Arabian Deserts. An Anthropology of Market and Oil” based on her research on social and environmental sustainability in the Arab Gulf.
At PwC Latvia Agnese is Pan-Baltic Diversity & Inclusion Leader and a member of the CEE Inclusion & Diversity team, helping companies to develop competence and implement strategies that promote diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunities in the workplace.
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Wenche Fredriksen is the Head of Inclusion & Diversity and at DNB. She has worked at Accenture for 30 years, having roles within consulting, HR and as Nordic Inclusion & Diversity Lead for many years. Wenche is an inspirational storyteller who actively uses her life experiences to open people’s hearts and minds, and to build a more diverse and inclusive world.
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Sayantani Saha is the Senior Manager and Chief of Staff at Diversify, where she leverages her diverse background in journalism, retail, social media management, and community development to excel in her role.
Her unique skill set enables her to manage high-impact projects, such as the HerTech Incubator, while maintaining strong communication with a variety of stakeholders. Sayantani is instrumental in fostering inclusive environments, organizing strategic gatherings, and spearheading community development efforts.
Working closely with senior leaders and providing direct support to the Executive Director, she drives measurable change for Diversify’s clients, ensuring alignment with the organization’s mission. Her interdisciplinary expertise, backed by a Bachelor’s in Political Science and a Master’s in Fashion Management, strengthens her capacity to navigate complex, evolving challenges with a well-rounded approach.
Beyond her work at Diversify, Sayantani runs a macrame business called Sew and Saw — a creative passion project that perfectly complements her multifaceted career.
