SWEDEN

JANNE BJÖRGE

Founder & CEO, Nord Core (in partnership with NORD DDB)
Internal Brand Advisor & Leadership Facilitator

Janne Björge is a former founder in the European event industry, having built and led thousands of brand experiences before shifting his focus to organizational transformation. Today, he works closely with leadership teams at companies like Audi, Spotify and Vattenfall—helping them find clarity, direction and momentum by aligning culture, brand and leadership into one shared movement, driven by faster processes, sharper focus and more human energy.

DENMARK

JON ANGELO GJETTING

Creative Director, Digital Media strategist, Alchemist

Jon Angelo Gjetting is best known for his role as Creative Director at Alchemist in Copenhagen, where he works alongside chef Rasmus Munk to shape the restaurant’s distinctive 360 degree visual universe. The driving force behind Alchemist is the idea of “Holistic Cuisine”, merging gastronomy, art, science, design, music, theatre, and technology into one unified multi-sensory experience. Jon has more than two decades of experience spanning design, advertising and brand identity across ten countries.
At PULSE, he will share how design, visual technology and sound can be used to enhance emotion, deepen engagement and transform a gastronomic experience into something far beyond dining.

LATVIA

GERMANS ERMIČS

Founder & Designer, Studio Germans Ermičs

Latvian designer Germans Ermičs founded his Amsterdam studio in 2014 and works internationally across furniture, installations and spatial design. He regularly collaborates with architects, interior designers, galleries and brands including CUPRA, Bang & Olufsen and Instagram; his cultural work includes award-winning scenography for Dailes Theatre and, most recently, set and costume design for the Latvian National Opera’s new production of Richard Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier.

LATVIA

FJODORS PODGORNIJS

Creative Director and Fashion Designer

Co-Founder and Designer of London-based fashion brand FYODOR GOLAN (2009–2022), known for celebrity dressing and featured at London Fashion Week and internationally. Recipient of the Fashion Fringe Award and the youngest brand featured in the V&A’s “Fashion in Motion” series.
Currently pursuing independent creative projects, including costume design for La Bohème at LNOB, the FYODOR GOLAN retrospective at the Latvian National Museum of Art, and recent collaborations with Liepāja – European Capital of Culture 2027 and IQOS spanning limited-edition collections, creative concepts, and bespoke costumes for performers and artists in Latvia and internationally.

LATVIA

AGNESE CIMUŠKA - REKKE

Executive Director of the Latvian Music Export Association

As Executive Director of the Latvian Music Export Association, she works to strengthen the international presence of Latvia's music industry by supporting artists, fostering international partnerships, and promoting the export of Latvian music. Her work connects the local creative sector with global opportunities, helping showcase Latvian talent on the international stage.

LATVIA

GUNDEGA SKUDRIŅA

Founder & Creative Director,

Skudras Metropole

Gundega Skudriņa founded Skudras Metropole with a clear idea of what events should be able to do - surprise people, shift perspective, leave something behind. The agency has earned international recognition including awards at Heavent in Cannes and BEA World, building a body of work that spans brand activations, immersive installations and large-scale experiences. Her approach is experience-first: concept, emotion and unexpected angle before anything else. At PULSE, she brings that practice to the future of business.

LATVIA

KRISTAPS CĪRULIS

Creative Technologist, AI Researcher, Designer. Co-Founder, SHIFT2 and Shipyard AI,

Partner, Rizz AI Lab.

Kristaps Cīrulis is a multidisciplinary entrepreneur, designer, and AI researcher working at the intersection of creativity, technology, and business transformation. He has spent more than 15 years building brands, products, startups, and innovation programs across Europe, helping organizations integrate AI, design thinking, and emerging technologies into real-world growth and impact.

LATVIA

LAURA DZELZKALĒJA

Board Member, Project Manager & Lecturer, Zero Waste Latvija

Laura Dzelzkalēja holds a PhD in environmental science and has built her career around a single, practical question: how do you make sustainability something people actually engage with, rather than agree with in principle? Through Zero Waste Latvija, she designs workshops and experience-based initiatives that move people from awareness to action. Her approach is grounded in evidence and shaped by years of working with real audiences in real contexts. At PULSE, she brings a practitioner's perspective to the conversation about what responsible creative industry looks like.

LATVIA

VIESTURS CELMIŅŠ

Urban Planner, Managing Director, VEFRESH Innovation Movement

Viesturs Celmiņš brings more than 20 years of experience working at the intersection of urban development, innovation and entrepreneurship. Through his work in startup ecosystem development and smart city transformation, he helps turn new ideas and technologies into practical solutions that support more connected, adaptable and future-ready cities. As Managing Director of the VEFRESH Innovation Movement, he contributes to shaping Riga VEF into a dynamic environment where businesses, innovators and the city can grow together.

LATVIA

DĀRTA CERIŅA

Film critic, curator, RIGA IFF, Dailes Theatre, Latvian Radio

Dārta Ceriņa thinks critically about culture for a living. As a film critic, curator, researcher, journalist, and the person responsible for the artistic direction of Dailes Theatre, she curates programmes for the Riga International Film Festival and co-hosts the weekly film show “No Place For Critics” on Latvian Radio Channel 1. Ceriņa works beyond the Baltics, she has been a Golden Globe Awards voter since 2022 and serves on the board of the Latvian chapter of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) and as a member of the European Film Academy. That breadth is not incidental: her work consistently moves between making, evaluating and contextualising – asking what culture does, not just what it produces. At PULSE, she brings an outside perspective into a room of practitioners – the kind of critical lens that tends to sharpen the inspirational talks.

LATVIA

PATRIKS KIRKILS

Co-Founder & CEO, Bourzma

Patriks Kirkils is the Co-Founder and CEO of Bourzma, where he develops bold, authentic content and concepts that bring a fresh perspective to Latvia’s fashion scene. His vision extends beyond building a fashion platform - he is creating a strong community that encourages self-expression while raising awareness of sustainable fashion and more conscious consumption.

LATVIA

MĀRTIŅŠ DAUGULIS

Social Anthropologist and Director of Research & Development, PowerHouse Latvia

Mārtiņš Daugulis, PhD, is a social anthropologist working at the intersection of human behaviour, research, strategy and innovation. His work explores how groups, environments, narratives and social dynamics influence the way people think and act—and how these insights can be transformed into strategies that drive meaningful change.

LATVIA

KRISTA GARANČA

Head of Entertainment & Culture Content, TVNET

Krista Garanča is a media professional with nearly a decade of experience specialising in music, entertainment and culture. Throughout her career, she has interviewed some of Latvia’s best-known musicians alongside international stars. Today, she leads TVNET’s entertainment and culture content team, shaping the platform’s coverage of the people, stories and trends influencing the industry.

ESTONIA

MARIS ALTSOO

Co-Founder, CEO & Creative Producer,

ALL·SET

Maris Altsoo has spent twenty years building things that did not exist before in Estonia at such level - large-scale events, brand experiences, a live music venue, international productions. As co-founder of ALL·SET, she operates at the intersection of strategic thinking and creative risk, with a track record that spans Estonia and well beyond its borders. She is not interested in events as a format. She is interested in what they can actually do to a city, a community, a conversation. At PULSE, she will explore the future of cities - how live experience shapes the places we build and the people who live in them.

GERMANY

JENS OLIVER MAYER

Managing Director, Jack Morton Worldwide's European Offices

Jens, the Managing Director of Jack Morton Worldwide's European Offices, brings more than 30 years of expertise in the brand experience industry. Throughout his career, Jens has been at the forefront of helping brands establish profound connections with their target audiences, combining live and digital marketing strategies.
Jens leads Jacks offices catering to the German and European market, driving innovation and delivering exceptional brand experiences that leave a lasting impact.
He has worked with clients such as Riot Games, SABIC, BMW, Adidas, Novartis and many others.

LATVIA

BAIBA PRINDULE - RENCE

Founder and creative director, Svinam

Baiba Prindule-Rence has been part of the event industry since 2010, founding SVINAM in 2016 and since then helping agencies and clients bring their boldest decoration and event design visions to life. SVINAM has worked across the Baltic states and Europe, serving everything from intimate 4-person secret weddings to large-scale 4,000-person productions. Their latest milestone is the acquisition of an event venue Nītaures Dzirnavas - a unique space where design and experience come together.

UKRAINE

NATALI SHESTAKOVA

CEO, Plombir Event

Nataliia Shestakova is the CEO of Plombir Event, a Kyiv-based agency specializing in B2B, corporate and marketing events, and an event strategist with over 2,000 projects delivered for audiences ranging from 10 to 10,000 people. In 2023, she initiated a socio-cultural collaboration between Ukraine and Latvia — an award-winning project recognized in Cannes, showcasing how the event industry can respond to global crises and raise public awareness of urgent social issues.

FINLAND

JESSE VOSS

Tour Manager, Käärijä
Pro Music Tours Helsinki

Jesse Voss has managed more than 300 shows for Finnish Eurovision sensation Käärijä, including two full-length European tours and a sold-out performance at Helsinki’s Veikkaus Arena. What began as a two week translation assignment after Eurovision 2023 quickly evolved into managing the people, decisions and operations surrounding a rapidly rising artist.

Before entering live music, Jesse produced corporate events for Nokia and worked on Slush, Europe’s flagship startup event experiences that sharpened his ability to deliver complex live productions with little room for error. At PULSE, he will explore what happens when an artist’s ambition outgrows the original plan, and how the team behind the show must grow with it.

aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4uc2FudGEubHYvbWVkaWEvMjAyMS8wNC8xMy9sYXJnZS9hNDcxN2MxNjYwODkuanBn_edited.jp

LATVIA

ANDA OZOLIŅA

Interior Architect, XYO

With 30 years of experience, Latvian interior architect Anda Ozoliņa has designed public and private spaces in Latvia and internationally, from restaurants and offices to private homes and apartments. Her work focuses primarily on hospitality interiors, where she combines creativity, speed, wit and a contemporary perspective to give each space an authentic character tailored to its client.

LATVIA

ĻENA FERSTERE

Owner & Co-Founder, SponsorKing

Ļena Ferstere is Owner & Co-Founder of SponsorKing, a Latvia-based agency creating meaningful connections between people and brands through live experiences, sponsorship strategy and brand activations. Over the past years, she has led award-winning projects for brands such as Swedbank, Rimi, LMT and international network collaborations including BEA World recognized work.

LATVIA

MĀRTIŅŠ SPURIS

TV, Radio & Event Host,

TV3 Group, Star FM, Laika Kapsula

Mārtiņš Spuris is a Latvian television, radio and event host with more than 10 years of media experience. His work includes TV3 productions such as The Masked Singer, Dancing with the Stars and Who Would Have Thought?!, as well as co-hosting the morning programme 900 Seconds and presenting weekend shows on Radio Star FM. He has hosted two of Latvia’s leading music award ceremonies—Zelta Mikrofons in 2022, 2023 and 2024, and GAMMA in 2025. Since 2023, he has also created and hosted the podcast Laika kapsula ar Mārtiņu Spuri.

LATVIA

RAIMONDS STROKŠS

Founder of RA Events and International Motorsport Event Organiser

Since 2009, Raimonds has been creating large-scale motorsport events while continuing a racing career that began in autocross in 1996 and led to two Latvian Rally Championship titles. He has played a leading role in bringing some of the world’s most prominent motorsport series to Latvia, including FIA ERC, WRC, World RX and FIM Speedway Grand Prix rounds, and has been involved in the SGP Championship since 2022.

LATVIA

MĀRCIS ZIEMIŅŠ

Owner and Lead Designer, Studio Don't Panic Design Solutions.

Rooting in graphic design, yet with a passion in various materials, experimental approach and interactivity, Mārcis is continuously searching for new ways in design and function.
After graduating Design Academy Eindhoven in the Netherlands in 2014, Marcis has founded a design practice in Riga, Latvia, meanwhile continuing work on international projects.
Mārcis and his studio Don't Panic has received multiple awards in various design related industries in Latvia as well as internationally.

LATVIA

FREDIS BIKOVS

Director,

Riga Investment and Tourism Agency (RITA)

Fredis Bikovs came to city leadership from the private sector through roles at Wolt, Evry and ABSL - and that background shapes how he thinks about Riga's future. As Director of the Riga Investment and Tourism Agency, he works on the harder question of what it actually takes to attract investment and build a city's international reputation over time, not just promote it. His interest is in the systems and decisions that make a city genuinely competitive. At PULSE he will address the questions of future of cities - this time from the perspective of those responsible for promoting them.

LITHUANIA

GABRIELĖ MARTIROSIAN

TV & Radio Presenter, Event Host & Moderator

Gabrielė Martirosian is a Lithuanian TV and radio presenter, event host and moderator with more than a decade of experience leading live broadcasts, conferences, cultural events and corporate celebrations. Alongside her work on Lithuania’s national broadcaster LRT, she moderates international events across Europe, creating engaging conversations for diverse audiences.

LATVIA

MAREKS AMERIKS

Musician, Vinyl-Only DJ, Producer & Founder of Jersika Records

Mareks Ameriks is a musician, vinyl-only DJ, producer, and record label and studio owner. His label, Jersika Records, was named Best Record Label at the 2025 GAMMA Awards, while his work with bands including kuba, Rīgas Modes and Satellites LV has received multiple honours at the Austras balva and Zelta Mikrofons awards. As a DJ, he regularly performs at both public and corporate events.

LATVIA

ELIZABETE HERTMANE

Head of International Relations, Liepāja 2027

Elizabete Hartmane is an experienced communications professional with more than a decade of involvement in Liepāja’s cultural communication and city branding. She has been part of the Liepāja 2027 team since the city’s candidacy for the European Capital of Culture title in 2022. Today, she leads the project’s international communication, diplomatic and media relations, partnerships, and cooperation with the tourism sector, strengthening Liepāja’s visibility abroad. At PULSE, Elizabete will explore how major cultural events can become part of a city’s long-term development and international positioning - transforming a milestone moment into lasting value.