Baltic Business Quarterly

15/04/2025

🔋 The Baltic energy transition is gaining momentum — and we're covering it from every angle.
The Spring 2025 issue of Baltic Business Quarterly is out now, and it’s all about powering the future.

🔥 Our cover story dives deep into the Baltics’ bold steps toward energy independence — from renewables to regional cooperation, and the technologies driving the change.

💡 We also shine a spotlight on the hydrogen economy: How close are the Baltic states to becoming leaders in green hydrogen? What’s next on the journey?

Inside this issue:
✅ Exclusive interview with energy expert Aris Zigurs on building base capacities
✅ A closer look at Commerzbank AG’s return to the Baltics
✅ What rising tax rates mean for your business
✅ The drivers behind the future Baltic economy
✅ Business highlights, cultural insights, travel tips, and more

Plus:
👥 Meet the newest members of the AHK’s Baltic network
🏆 Discover the companies to watch in 2025
👤 Get to know BASF’s CEO in the Baltics Roberto Salmito in our Personality section

⚡️ Whether you're in energy, finance, policy, or beyond — this issue is packed with forward-thinking ideas and regional insights that matter.

14/06/2023

Can you guess which Baltic country has the biggest wallet?🤓

Estonia is the smallest of the Baltic States, while its national budget revenue and spending are the highest of all three countries — although Lithuania is set to overtake Estonia in both of these indicators in 2023, according to Svetlana Nesinova, senior tax consultant at BDO Latvia, in an interv...

14/06/2023

"Hidden champions" is not just the catchy title of our current edition, it also describes a concept developed by German professor Dr. Hermann Simon in the 1990s when he was analyzing the remarkable success of the German economy. He graciously explained the concept to us in our latest issue and shared insights from his more than thirty years of research.

🌍 "Globally, I discovered approximately 4,000 of these hidden champions, but Germany has the highest number per one million inhabitants," Simon revealed.

🌟 The term "champions" derives from the fact that these companies are either among the top 3 in their global market or the number 1 on their continent, with a turnover of less than €5 billion. However, they remain "hidden" because they lack widespread fame and are relatively unknown to the public.

🌱💡 Dr. Simon provides valuable advice to Baltic companies: "The greatest challenge in this process is finding the right market. Hidden champions define their markets narrowly, attentively observing both customers' needs and technology. They consistently innovate by blending technology with customer proximity. This is the only path to sustainable long-term growth."

In addition to our interview, Simon delves further into these concepts in his books. A great starting point is his book "Hidden Champions of the 21st Century: Success Strategies of Unknown World Market Leaders." There is even a Lithuanian translation available titled "XXI amžiaus nematomi čempionai." We also recommend "Hidden Champions in the Chinese Century: Ascent and Transformation."

📚 Find out more: https://hermannsimon.com/books/

13/06/2023

The weather is getting warmer and one of the most pleasant topics of conversation now is the ice cream. In its summer issue, Baltic Business Quarterly brings you some interesting facts about ice cream made in the Baltics. Already read? If not, you can also read this article in LSM News

What would summer be without ice cream? Not just in sun-kissed states does everyone love the sweet, creamy treat but also people in the Baltics are avid consumers of frozen desserts. Here are som...

05/06/2023

Money makes the world go round- The summer issue of Baltic Business Quarterly featured an interesting story about the three Baltic national currencies: Litas, Lats and Kroon. Estonian national broadcaster ERR News shared this story. If you haven't read it yet, here's your chance https://news.err.ee/1608996817/exhibition-100-years-litas-lats-and-kroon-on-display-in-tallinn . And if you happen to be in Tallinn between 15 June and 12 October, visit the exhibition at the Estonian History Museum yourself.

Numismatists in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have joined forces to tell the story of the national currencies of the Baltic states. A traveling exhibition commemorates the anniversaries of the litas, lats and kroon – and the stories of the three nations encoded in them. The article appeared in the...

01/06/2023

📢 The Summer issue of Baltic Business Quarterly is finally here! 🌞📰

🌐🔍 This season, our cover story delves into the world of "Hidden Export Champions." We shine a spotlight on the extraordinary businesses that quietly thrive and excel in the Baltic region, making their mark on the global stage. Discover their untold success stories, learn about their strategies, and gain invaluable inspiration from these Baltic champions.

🙏🌟 We were excited about the inspiring stories and insights from our interview partners. Therefore we want to thank Dainis Bonda - CEO of RUBRIG, Juozas Nainys - CEO of Atrandi Biosciences | Droplet Genomics, Paulius Insoda- CEO of NFQ Technologies,Liisa Lukin - COO of SK ID Solutions, Angela Vaasa - COO of Solis BioDyne and Andzejs Stenclavs - Owner of Kinetics Nail Systems, for your contribution and enriching expertise.

📬 Read all this and more in our Summer 2023 issue - if you are not already a subscriber: https://lnkd.in/d3vWQCjx

03/05/2023

May is here and so is the summer issue of our Baltic Business Quarterly magazine. We have had many wonderful interviews, including a very inspiring conversation with the new CEO of ERGO in Baltic States Ursula Clara Deschka.
What are the values of one of the more appreciated insurance companies in the Baltics, what are the development plans and what new impulses does the new CEO bring with her? Find out all this and much more in our newest issue, which will soon be in the hands of our readers.

24/03/2023

Our spring issue is now also at the leading Building Industry fair in the Baltics Izstāde "Māja I" , organised by the exhibition company Starptautiskais izstāžu centrs Ķīpsala BT1 in Riga. Have you been there yet? It goes until 26 March.

01/03/2023

The spring issue of Baltic Business Quarterly is here! This issue looks at the Baltic pharmaceutical, food supplement and cosmetics manufacturers and their innovative products. These industries have a tradition of more than 100 years in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, but we took a look at what companies in these fields have to offer today. What trends are the Baltic manufacturers following that make them unique and what is the response to the shortage of some medicines in the last six months? We also analyse recent investments in these sectors, mergers and acquisitions and their results.
In addition to the central theme, we also look back at the life and work of Meinhard von Gerkan, the great Riga-born architect.
Read all this and more in our Spring 2023 issue - if you are not already a subscriber: https://www.abonesana.lv/product/bbq/

19/01/2023

Work has started on the spring issue of our magazine - this time focusing on Baltic pharmaceuticals, food supplements and cosmetics. How does the current situation affect these sectors, and do we have to face the fact that some traditional medicines to disappear from the market? What are the reasons for this? We are studying and analysing all this, and we already have the answers to why even simple medicines are currently in short supply in many parts of the EU.

10/01/2023

Another very interesting story about a Latvian-made military transport from our winter issue has also found its way to LSM NewsNews. Have you read it?

A prototype of a military vehicle that combines the cross-country performance of an SUV and the speed of a buggy has been created in Latvia. Production could start as early as this year.