08.12.2016

The following nine industry professionals have joined the BFAA Review Board:

Fabio Filipozzi, Estonia, Head of Investment Division at Eesti Pank (Estonian Central Bank)

Silja Narusk, Estonia, Head of Compliance at SEB Estonia

Kaido Kepp, Estonia, Head of Affinity Business, Member of Supervisory Board at IIZI Insurance

Gerda Zigiene, Lithuania, Director of Study Programs (Finance) at School of Economics and Business at Kaunas University of Technology

Tadas Gudaitis, Lithuania, CEO at Swedbank Investment Management Lithuania

Evaldas Valeisa, Lithuania, Head of Risk Management and Member of the Management Board at Swedbank Life Insurance

Janis Rozenfelds, Latvia, CEO at SEB Investment Management, Latvia

Maris Rambaks, Latvia, Head of Treasury at Swedbank Latvia

Eleonora Zelmene, Latvia, Senior Attorney, Head of Insurance Law Practice at Klavins Ellex

In addition to Syllabus and test questions, we are looking forward to their ideas and contribution on how the BFAA should benefit the industry and how to ensure the continuous learning of the employees in financial sector.

There are five members with investment management background, three with insurance background and two lawyers. There are four PhDs, a PhD Student, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), and many years dedicated to study and to teach their subject matter in various universities. Many of our Review Board members have worked with regulators and for regulators and most of them are senior managers overseeing the people who will be certified by BFAA.

Fabio Filipozzi, a PhD and a native Italian, now working for the Bank of Estonia, manages the official reserves of the Central Bank. Fabio is a beloved lecturer of investments and economics for more than a decade at Tallinn Technical University and Estonian Business School. By the way, he is fluent in Estonian and besides his strong analytical and organizational capabilities he has a passion for two “R” – Reading and Running.

Silja Narusk, Master in Law. She has drafted financial sector legislation at the Estonian Ministry of Finance. Now as Head of Compliance at SEB Silja is responsible for managing compliance risks in all SEB entities in Estonia including anti-money laundering and terrorist financing.

Kaido Kepp, Master of Economics, Banking, and Finance, currently a PhD student, Kaido has dedicated his professional life to insurance industry. After more than 10 years in industry, now Kaido is Head of Affinity Business and Member of Supervisory Board at IIZI Group. Kaido has started life insurance business for ERGO in Estonia, pensions fund business for ERGO in Estonia and Lithuania and RSA P&C in Estonia.

Gerda Zigiene, PhD in Public Finance, Master in Finance, Accounting, and Banking. Most of her work life Gerda has dedicated to teach young professionals, today she is Director of Study programs in Finance at School of Economics and Business at Kaunas University of Technology and Professor of Finance at Vilnius University. Her extensive knowledge of finance and accounting is reflected in numerous publications. Gerda enjoys classical dancing, yoga, and sailing.

Tadas Gudaitis, PhD of Economics. Tadas has more than 13 years of experience in pension accumulation, life insurance and investment management areas. He is also known for his people skills, which Tadas applies not only in his daily job as a CEO of Swedbank Investment Management (Lithuania), but also as a Lecturer at Economics Faculty in Vilnius University.

Evaldas Valeisa, Executive MBA and Master of Mathematics. Evaldas has been working in life insurance for more than 15 years, starting as Actuary (an insurance mathematician) and now continuing as Head of Risk Management and Member of the Management Board at Swedbank Life Insurance. He is a passionate math-lover and enjoys reasoned discussions. Evaldas teaches various subjects at Kaunas Technical University.

Janis Rozenfelds, Master of Business Administration. For more than a decade he has been working for SEB Investment Management Latvia. He is responsible for SEB’s asset management business in Latvia, where he coordinates the investment management activities and services with focus on pension funds and institutional clients.

Maris Rambaks, CFA, with education in Law, Finance, and Business Administration. Maris is a recognized investment products’ and services professional with 10 years of sales management and business development experience in brokerage and banking. Now he is working as Head of Treasury at Swedbank Latvia. Maris is a co-author of the first Latvia’s Digital Guide to Investing. Maris also likes to read and do simple sports.

Eleonora Zelmene, Master in Law, primarily specializing in Banking and Finance law. She is a well-known insurance law expert in Latvia, now working as a Senior Attorney, Head of Insurance Law practice at Klavins Ellex law firm. Eleonora has experience in different areas of finance, including banking, consumer finance, investment market, capital markets, and project finance. Eleonora´s passion is calisthenics.

Every member in our Review Board believes of lifelong learning and they expect that BFAA, aside helping our affiliated companies to resolve a practical business problem how to prove the competences from 2018, should look for a longer perspective and stress how to improve the overall financial literacy and the business ethics.